


Immortal Mysteries

by Deadly_Detective_Drew



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Actually I Take It Back, Actually has plot, All Vampires Can Smell Other Vampires Mates, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Bella Swan, Bamf Charlie Swan, But Probably Slow Enough To Be Annoying, Edditing, F/F, F/M, It's Pretty Slow, Kinda Olympic Coven Hate, M/M, Multi, No Bella Hate, On Hiatus, Volturi Kings Are Mates, not a super slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:14:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 132,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23526727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deadly_Detective_Drew/pseuds/Deadly_Detective_Drew
Summary: Blue Adams never had anything to tie her down, needing to keep busy she takes a case that leads her to a new friend and even more mysteries. She begins to uncover truths that had been buried for centuries and finds herself wound up in a world that tests her ability to adapt.
Relationships: Bella/You'll Find Out, Blue/Aro/Caius/Marcus, Caius/Marcus/Aro, OFC/Marcus/Aro/Caius
Comments: 48
Kudos: 157
Collections: R's Twilight





	1. Chapter 1

Being a detective wasn't all it's cracked up to be. No fast pace adventures using only skills of deduction to find missing children and wild cults. Most people that entered the profession ended up defecting to another branch of the police, but that was because it was usually young people aspiring to be the next Sherlock Holmes, and they never lasted long.

Despite the lack of wild adventures, being a detective had always been my dream job. Long hours of endlessly poring over paperwork and occasionally following up a lead, it was tedious no doubt about it, but that could never be enough to turn me off.

I lived for work, the possibility of an epiphany, a breakthrough in a case that led to the police rescuing and saving lives, that's what I lived for. Detectives may not be out on the front lines getting the glory, as the late Sherlock, but glory was never my cause, the rush of adrenaline and triumph when I connected two dots when something made sense that was my drug.

Unfortunately, I was going into withdrawal.

It had been 8 months. 8 months and nothing, I felt guilty for feeling annoyed that no one had been kidnapped or mysteriously murdered but I was going stir crazy and had moved to Seattle specifically for the constant cases, I loved work, it was my life and when the Captain of the police department called me up, desperately looking for a detective to help out in the Seattle area, I jumped at the chance.

I lived in Seattle for 2 years now and the case files being dropped on my desk had slowly started to wean down in frequency, the Captain had been ecstatic, me, not so much.

And in my boredom I had spent my free hours going through old case files, originally starting from recent years and going back chronologically, but now I pulled them at random.

Humming Tili Tili Bom a lullaby my mother used to sing, I flicked through the piles on my desk before sighing and giving up.

I'd already gone through all of them at least twice and nothing was out of the ordinary, or if it was, then it had already been solved.

Deciding to head to the public library and pull up some archives of newspapers from an older period I stood up and pulled open my office door, crashing straight into a blur of red.

"Jesus Depika."

"Sorry." A sheepish look covered her face and I laughed as the Captain's assistant turned red.

"Any reason you're so eager to see me?" 

My question seemed to snap the teen out of her embarrassment enough to blurt out a jumble of words, "Captain needs you, he said to tell you to move your ass." she disappeared down the hall as quickly as she'd come.

I followed in the direction she had gone, figuring that the Captain would be in his office.

Good thing he was, bad thing, he wasn't alone. A hysterical Woman and furious man who I presumed was her husband, were currently engaged in a heated and tear-driven screaming match with my boss.

As I entered the room all eyes turned to me, Captain Derek looked relieved, but the other two just seemed to have found another target for their emotional outburst.

"This is fucking ridiculous! I can't believe you people!" The man spat the words at me and I tried not to flinch, no one liked being yelled at, but when you don't even know why you're in trouble, yeah, that was definitely the worst.

I shot Derek a mildly panicked look, to which he replied by trying to usher the civilians out. "I am sorry that your car was damaged, in our chase sir, but a cheque has been signed and the car will be compensated for, I'm afraid there isn't much more we can do for you."

The man bared his lips "Oh you're sorry, are you? Well, we'll see just how sorry this good for nothing department is after you hear from our lawyers!" With that, he pulled the crying lady out of the room with him and shoved past me in the process.

I gave a look to the Captain, did you really need me or did you just need them out?"

He gave a jolly laugh, before sitting himself back behind his desk, belly sitting up in front of him with his hands clasped together, he peered over his spectacles. "Well, I'll admit the rush wasn't quite so necessary, although I do have something for you."

He reached into the top drawer and pulled out a plain manila folder before setting it upon the desk. "You've been a very hard worker these past couple years, detective Adams, and I appreciate that you've made my job easier, so I'm taking the chance to thank you."

I let out a smile, "There is no need to thank me, Sir, truly I love my job."

"Yes-" He gave a slightly disapproving look "-A little too much I think, nevertheless, I understand you like the work and as such, I reached out to a few states and found you this." He gestured for me to take the folder.

I stepped towards the peak and flicked open the cover to see several images of a little boys room, and pushing a couple of the pictures aside I found one of the boys whose room it supposedly was.

"The kid, Oliver Wilmers went missing 4 months ago and is a cold case, no ones working into it as the chances of his survival are zero to none after this amount of time, but I figured, you might like to give it a look."

4 months, that wasn't that long surely the family would still be pressing the police for news. Upon seeing my questioning look he elaborated, "Kids a foster, no one to notice him gone, apparently, he ran away a good few times a year, he's only 7 but no one wanted the trouble so he was sent to be taken care of by the local church, he went missing 3 weeks into his stay, at first, they thought he'd run away again, still might have, frankly the church seemed relieved."

I gave a nod of thanks, before gathering up the papers and starting to head out of the office with my mind once again occupied, I heard the Captain call out one last time before rounding the hall, "Don't stay up too late for this, Blue!"

I only let out a grunt in response, my mind firmly fixed on the picture of the 7-year-old-boy, given up on simply because he had been too much effort. "Oliver Wilmers, where did you go?"

Apparently my solution to the Captain's order not to stay up late for this case was to simply not sleep at all, and after pawning off one of the famed goldfish that I had swimming in my office, I was gifted the hourly coffee by Depika.

During my all-nighter, I found little more than the information I already had in front of me, not that I expected much, I didn't know the case and as such, reading up on the basics was my first priority.

By four in the morning, I had found the first person I would go to as a lead, from there I would hopefully find more. Since the case came from Washington, it meant all my leads were in a different state, which then meant I had to convince the captain to let me go and do some fieldwork. So I needed another coffee.

Another four hours and I deemed it a socially acceptable hour to pester the non-nocturnal members of society and knocked on the Captain's door.

"Come in!"

I did so and closed the door after me. "Hey, Cap, how's the workload?"

  
  


"Shit." I snorted at the blunt reply, causing Derik's previously occupied gaze to snape to mine and narrow in warning, "I have a feeling I know why you're here Adams."

At his comment, I decided to jump straight to pleading my case "Captain, there hasn't been any work for me in 8 months, and I might actually have a shot at finding this kid, it's only a forty-minute flight to Forks, If you need me I'll be on the next flight back."

He sat up straighter and pointed his pen in an effort to portray his seriousness, "Adam's, let me be clear. That case was not an excuse for you to go jumping all over the country in some misguided attempt to play Nancy Drew!"

I bowed my head a little in disappointment, I really had gotten quite excited at the thought of doing some detective work after a long break.

"-That being said, Nancy Drew might not be needed for this case. You don't have to be the best at something if you're the only one doing it-" My head snapped up and I was unable to help the hopeful grin sliding onto my face "-No one else is looking for this kid and I don't need you here so-"

I interrupted "Thank you, Sir, I won't let you down."

He scoffed relaxing back into his default position, waving his pen at me in mock scolding "But! If I need you here Blue, You better be damned sure you're on the first flight back before I even ring you with a case, you hear me?"

I gave a mock salute "Loud and clear sir, be knocking on your office before the reports come in."

He waved his dismissal "Get out of here Blue, and I want a full report at the end of every week."

"Yes Sir," I called it over my shoulder as I left and slipped Depika a pack of fish pellets as I passed her in the hall. Clumsy as hell she may be, but her coffee was amazing and the captain was always more approachable after a good cupper.

\--IMMORTAL--

Another week passed and I was heading to Forks Washington, after a little research into the city itself I discovered it was one of the rainiest spots in the country, not really my cup of tea, but I would survive.

I'd taken my bike to ride to Forks, considering I was staying until I was called back, or the case was closed, and despite the 4-hour ride the view was fantastic. I always love the freedom of the wind whipping past.

Upon my arrival into the town I went straight to the police station to ask for directions to the rental apartment I had acquired before departing Seattle.

After that, it was fairly easy to settle into my temporary new home. Aside from my fish, I never really had any possessions, and as such I could uproot my life on short notice if I so desired, exactly as I liked it.

Depika had offered to look after my fish while I was gone, and being the closest person to a friend I had, it wasn't difficult for me to say yes.

I loved the colour orange, and my goldfish often bounced the colour over the walls, which gave me plenty of joy, despite often being seen only in black high neck clothing and with long white hair and ruby red lips, I still applied touches of orange to myself when I could.

The apartment was nothing special, but practical, just the way I liked it. Writing myself a quick grocery list for the morning I pulled off my boots and flopped onto the bed ready to start work tomorrow.

\--IMMORTAL--

The church turned out to be a dead-end, after tracking down the security footage of the dairy across the street, I found little Oliver leaving the church 56 hours before he was officially noted as missing, and after that, he didn't appear again.

Fortunately, this did give me a closer time of Oliver's disappearance, I now knew it was earlier than recorded, which I had suspected as the church had admitted that they weren't initially worried over Oliver missing meals as he was said to often do so.

Honestly, the meeting with the church was terribly frustrating, they were all very polite but the apathy to Oliver's disappearance was impossible to miss and it rubbed me the wrong way. I was thankful when I deemed the lead a bust and had to return to my apartment to pour over the facts I knew.

The day got darker and I called it a night after deciding to go as talk to the local police department the next morning, according to Derik, the department didn't have any detectives and as such it was left up to the police to search for Oliver, hopefully, I would gain some insight if I could hear what had been done already in the search for the kid.

\--IMMORTAL--

Charlie Swan, Chief of the Forks police department and upon first impressions, a man who held a lot of weight on his shoulders, he looked old for someone you could tell were in their forties, old in soul. But after having an enlightening discussion with him, I concluded, not old in spirit.

According to the Chief, he was the one who instigated the search in the first place, I could tell he felt bad that they had to stop looking, but after seeing how little resources the town had, I figured they couldn't really be blamed.

"So, you're going to pick up the case?" He decided to get to the point of my presence there.

"Yes, well obviously I'll do the detective work and if I find anything of substance, I'll hand over to you guys, unless I'm sure it's a safe situation or I have reason to believe there is no time, that is the usual protocol, although if I do attempt to interfere with the case, I'll make sure someone knows."

He gave a firm nod "That's a smart idea. Well, the records are kept in lock up, I'll have Sammy give you a key and you’re welcome to them any time, just make sure they all get back to where you find them."

"Will do Sir, thank you for all the help."

He gave a chuckle "Just Charlie please, none of this Sir nonsense."

"Well then-" I extended my hand "-Call me Blue"

He was called away after that, and I headed to the reception, so Sammy could give me my key and I could start.

The day progressed and I had spent a good 6 hours looking over all the police notes, of which there weren't many, and I decided to pick up my groceries and take the files back to my place.

The files were mainly Oliver's history in the foster system and a brief police report on their search for him.

I focused on Oliver's history and was surprised to see that Oliver's past of running away, actually didn't start anywhere as early as I had gotten the impression from the church. On paper it almost seemed like it was one foster family in particular that Oliver repeatedly ran from, the Wilsons, they fostered him when he was 5-6 and were the second to last foster family before the church, his runaway tendencies continued onto the next family and the church, but it was what had started it that I wanted to find out.

I knew all of Oliver's previous families had been questioned by the police, but I wasn't the police, and I was still not one hundred per cent sure exactly what I was looking for, which usually worked out in my favour as having no objective ment I couldn't force it into the situation.

I hurriedly finished my quickly made sandwich and went to start my bike, the Wilson's address in mind. Unfortunately, I was interrupted.

Ring Ring 

Ring Ring

"Hello?"

"Blue, we need you here pronto, a live case has been given, it's top priority."

I briefly considered complaining that I had a lead on my case, but knew it wouldn't go over well.

"Yes Sir, on my way."

"Flights already booked, your tickets are being faxed over now."

Click

He hung up and I sighed, spinning away from my bike to go back inside and collect the papers.

Not really wanting to leave my bike at the airport I called up Charlie, and asked if anyone at the station could give me a ride to the terminal.

I was surprised when Charlie himself came, but then again figured it was probably the chivalrous thing he would do.

The ride was quiet aside from Charlie inquiring as to my quick departure. I gave a brief explanation of the conditions of my stay. He laughed, apparently he knew the Captain having worked on a case in his younger years with him.

"Demanding Captain, that's for sure, but the guy has a heart of gold."

I nodded. It was true, Derek always made sure his employees were looking after themselves, regardless of how hard he pushed everyone.

I said goodbye and thanked Charlie for the ride as I got out.

"Call me when you come back, I'll drop you at your apartment."

"Thanks, Charlie, but I can just get a taxi, there's no need to bother you again."

He shook his head "Nonsense, It gives me something to do."

I laughed and gave in, "Alright, If it's a reasonable hour, thanks again."

I watched him leave, then jogged the way to security, breezing through and settling down for the 40 minute flight back to Seattle.

\--IMMORTAL--

Upon landing, I found a taxi waiting for me and got driven straight to the station.

Apparently the case was rather urgent as the Captain was in a rather frazzled state, actually looking like he'd seen god when I walked through the door.

"Adams! Thank heavens. Get in here now. Close the door."

I did as he said and immediately had a file shoved in my face. I flicked it open and upon looking at the image realised why the Captain was in such a state. "The Mayors, niece."

"The media's going mad and are hounding us to find her, it technically hasn't been the time before a person is announced missing, but the girl is notorious for being a little angel, and would never not have come home last night."

I groaned, I hated it when the media involved themselves, it always, always messed with the case and evidence, no doubt Depika was herding calls of people all claiming to have seen the girl, and other ones that just wished to hurl abuse at the department. "Alright, Sir, I'm on it."

"We need this wrapped up as soon as possible Adams, Coffee's on me if you need it, but get it done."

"Is there anything, off the top of your head that I should know? Time of disappearance?"

He closed the case and held it out "Time's in the file, but she was supposedly at a dance rehearsal before she was supposed to head home, they are all being questioned now, I'll get Depika to run you the transcripts from those to look over when they're done."

I nodded and took the files, heading to my office. On the way, I stopped at reception and gave Depika a nod of sympathy before dropping a chocolate from the plane on the desk. I knew she loved them and frankly she deserved it from dealing with the calles on this case.

She smiled her thanks before rapidly going back to trying to palisade another angry caller.

It annoyed me that people seemed to insist on telling us to do our jobs, like we were just going to sit around and do nothing. I shoved the thought away and shut my door. Spreading out the file over the floor, ignoring the desk, I needed to focus and I always felt much safer and clear headed sitting on the floor.

True to his word, the chief sent Depika up with coffee, four times throughout the day and slowly it began to get darker.

At first glance and influence from the media, the entire situation seemed to suggest foul play, as well, no one wanted to imply that the Mayor's niece was anything but the pure girl she was portrayed as, however after receiving the transcripts of all the potential suspects I was certain that the situation was more coincidental than a premeditated incident, the problem was proving it.

Deciding to look at it from a different angle I listed all the reasons Kelly would be missing and eliminated them as I found evidence against that reason.

I pinned them on my wall under two headings, foul play and play.

Foul Play: Abduction, Second degree, Cover up

Play: Ran away, Cover up

The foul play was what the media was hounding for, after having flicked onto the news, I had promptly turned it off, knowing it would only frustrate me. However, I was more inclined to believe one of the other two, regardless I consider them all.

Second degree, implied that someone Kelly knew had attacked Miss Kelly, in a fit of passion whether they abducted her or killed her was up for debate, but this meant the situation had another person, but all the potential suspects were clean, as Kelly was clearly seen leaving a gas station at 6:36PM, and all her relatives and friends, plus the dancers from the dance studio all had alibis.

Abduction was unlikely for the same reason as majority abductions were done by family members, although I didn't rule it out entirely yet.

Cover up, Someone Kelly didn't know had been in the process of, or Kelly had somehow found out that this person had done something wrong, most likely illegal, but possible also to just be immoral, such as adultery. In an effort to preserve their secret, they killed or took Miss Kelly.

This seemed to be the most likely scenario under foul play, and so I decided to investigate it further.

I made my way down to evidence and walked along the aisles until I found K. Kelly Katner. Her laptop was sealed in a bag, but the yellow sticker meant it had already been swabbed for fingerprints, and I was allowed to take it.

I grabbed the computer and after a pause, grabbed her phone as well.

Taking the devices back to my office, I saw the time on the wall as I passed reception, and contained a sigh. 3:00am. Damn looks like my sleep schedule was screwed for a while. Oh well, not that it was particularly consistent in the first place with insomnia, but I was supposed to try so my meds could have something to pull from.

The laptop had Kelly's password written onto a sticky note, that meant her parents must have known it, which okay, she did seem like a rather 'good girl' and I could see why the media were quick to call out abduction. I still wasn't convinced.

I typed in the passcode and waited for it to boot up. Upon waking the screen flashes blue then red then glitched like an olden style TV. I looked at the screen for a second before letting out a laugh.

Seriously?

That glitch might have fooled her parents, but I knew enough about technology to know that with the changes in how tech works throughout the years, it actually wasn't possible to be happening on this computer, which meant it had been created by someone in an effort to appear as the screen had glitched.

If the computer had actually glitched, it would have simply frozen on the page it was on, or gone black.

I pressed down a few keys to bring up the computer code, and nearly laughed again when I found that whoever had done this, had written out each coloured square on the glitch and programmed it in individually. clearly someone was trying very hard to not let the contents of this computer be seen.

A few more taps onto the keyboard, and re-writing the image filtering code, the screen returned to normal.

Bingo

The instant the glitch disappeared, a blank google tab came up. I pulled up the history and was surprised to find it cleared.

I pulled up the code again and got started on retrieving the 'cleared data'. Once it flashed up, I exited and opened all the previous tabs at once.

I let them load for a few seconds and turned my attention to the phone. This device they had been a little smarter with, the sim had been removed and the batteries. Pulling out my own phone I took out the sim and battery, and stuck it into Kelly's. 

I knew some people believed that taking out the sim card wiped the phone, but that just wasn't the case, even inserting a different sim into the phone, just changed the number associated with the messages, but it still didn’t even wipe the contacts or previous messages from the phone.

I turned it on and sure enough, no passcode.

That was actually the reason I was hesitant to say Kelly was the one who had coded the glitch into the computer, It didn't seem like something a girl that let her parents know her password, and didn't even have one on her phone, would do. I was now pretty sure another person was involved, but I couldn't say yet if they were covering up a crime or a personal sin.

Kelly was 16 years old, so if someone else was responsible for her being missing, that was a crime, even if she had been willing, unless of course the other person was not an adult themselves, then it was probably that the two had run away together.

The phone background was telling in itself, Kelly and another girl who appeared to be slightly younger were sitting under a tree with grinning faces, while Kelly took the selfie.

I was beginning to form an idea of what had happened.

I turned back to the computer and saw the first tab that had loaded. Road trips done on $100. I clicked on the next one. Cheap and easy meals to make. The next one was a housing sight and some quick history of previous searches on the site lead me to a cheap apartment in Renton, a city close to Seattle.

I pulled up the messages on the phone and clicked on the name that Kelly had texted last. Melody, scrolling up a bit so I could gather some context, I read.

M: You know you don't have to do this.

K: Stop saying that, I know. But I want to.

M: You love your parents, I don't want to be the reason that you leave them.

K: I love you too.

M: But you can still see me and your family if we stay.

K: I love you. So that means I don't want to see you hurt anymore, Yes I love my family, but once you are an adult and your Mother can't force you to stay, then I can reconnect with mine. For now I chose you.

M: Thank you, Kelly. I love you too.

K: Did you figure out how to wipe my computer and phone?

M: Yes, I've already done mine.

K: Come over tomorrow night. Then the next day, before dance, I'll get gas and pick you up at our spot.

M: Roger, Roger Captain.

K: Haha

I put the phone back down. Well now everything was starting to make perfect sense, but there were still a few loose ends that I wanted to fix before heading to the captain. Unfortunately the contact only had Melody's first name, so I needed to take a trip to the lab and grab the fingerprints taken from the computer.

A quick check of the time showed that it was 7:00am, a reasonable enough time.

Max, the lab guy, was happy to help. Thankfully Melody seemed to have filed a report with the police a few years ago and we had her prints in the system. Her face matched the girl in Kelly’s phone. I had my suspicions about what the report was for but didn't look at it yet, grabbing it to put in my office before calling a taxi and heading for Melody Canys house.

The drive went quickly and I was surprised to note that we were close to Kelly's high school, most likely where the two had met.

I went up to the door and knocked.

A surly-looking woman opened the door. "What do you want?"

I gave a charming smile, "Hello Ma'am-" I pulled out my badge to show her "-I have a few questions regarding Kelly Katner, may I come in?"

She looked very much like she wanted to slam the door in my face, but thankfully she grudgingly waved me through.

"I know that girl. I saw my daughter and Miss Katner hanging around often in the breaks. Dreadful girl.

Interesting. "Do you work at the school Mrs Canys?"

"Yes, I am the Principal." She looked miffed that I didn't know that, frankly I couldn't be bothered to summon the effort to care. 

"Most people seem to think that young Miss Kelly is a rather delightful young girl. Are you saying you've seen differently?"

Apparently that seemed to set her off, because she launched into a big speech about her, which I tuned out in favour of examining my surroundings. I found a few pictures, but all of them were either of herself or her husband, none of Melody.

I interrupted her "-Mrs Canys, might I say that you and your husband make a striking couple."

She seemed momentarily lost, before pride and melancholy crossed her face. "Yes, I know. He was the most handsome of men, loved me like I deserved, he did."

I picked up on the past tense "Did?"

She regained her frosty exterior, except this time it wasn't aimed at me "My husband perished in a fire, 5 years ago. He went back in to sacrifice his life in exchange for his daughter, Melody's."

I noticed the use of 'his daughter' but did bring that up, instead offering my condolences. "I am sorry for your loss. I'm afraid I won't keep you, no doubt you'll have to get ready for school soon. I have just one more question, may I see your daughters room?"

She seemed to get defensive at that, "Melody, hasn't been back in a few days, but she does that every now and again, it's nothing to worry about."

I gave a calming smile "Of course, I understand, but her room might provide some clues in the investigation for Kelly's disappearance."

She seemed genuinely surprised at that, "Disappearance?"

I nodded, hiding my frown, it had been all over the news for the past 40 hours, surly she had heard something.

"Very well. This way. But I warn you, Melody doesn't like clutter, she prefers to just have the basics."

I followed her up the stairs and into a spare room. Basics sure enough. There was a bed, floorboards and a standing cupboard that had white paint peeling from it. I made sure to keep my expression from being disgusted and walked closer to the walls.

"You see, there isn't much in here, I'm sure you won't find anything."

I gave her a fake smile "Nonetheless, I'm sure you understand that I have a protocol to follow, I won't be a minute, if you could wait downstairs, and then I'll be out of your hair."

She hesitated before doing as I said.

I pulled out my phone and quickly snapped a picture of the room, before taking another one of the faint scratches in the wall. I pulled on my gloves and was careful not to disturb too much of the room as I lifted the mattress.

Upon lifting it, I bit my lip and averted my eyes, taking in a shaky breath before looking back down again. A pair of chains that held manacles at the end confirmed my suspicions. Melody's mother had been abusing her, no doubt as a punishment for her father's death. Snapping a picture and I put the mattress back down again.

I had my suspicions about the type of abuse but I would leave that for forensics to find out. Gathering all my supplies, I headed down the stairs and forced a natural look onto my face, as I saw the woman responsible.

"All done, ma'am. Have a nice day"

She grunted and I quickly showed myself out. Walking a few blocks away from the house before calling a ride, needing to be as far away as quickly as possible.

On the way back I called Depika and told her to start a file on a case of abuse, then send it to the child abuse department along with the report filed by Melody on my desk.

After that, I hung up and took a few deep breaths.

Once I arrived back at the police station, I ran to my office and began to rapidly type out my report. I finished within 2 hours but hesitated in sending it to the Captain. I knew where the girls had gone, and theoretically should be sending the force over to retrieve them as they were still underage, but I needed the abuse case to be well underway first if the girls were found too early, then Melody's mother could catch wind of the police investigating her and take Melody and run, or do something even more drastic like kill her.

I didn’t think she would, but when people feel cornered they do drastic things. No, I decided to cut up my report and sent the bits pertaining to Melody off to Depika to pass along, hopefully, it would speed up the process, I couldn't hold off on my report for too long or Derek would come knocking.

I decided to give them 2 more days, I could stall the Captain for that long. With a request for Depika to inform me once a court order to search the Canys house had been given, I left the police station to head home, thankful to see my fish again, and hopefully get some sleep.

\--IMMORTAL--

  
  


I got a call from Depika around 7:00 am the next day, I was thankful the judge had been quick, I knew that forensics would take a few hours to collect and analyze, but since the investigation was now underway and a layer had been procured for the case, I figured it was fine to hand in my report and get the girls into police custody, hopefully then the media could stop being so worried.

"Captain" I knocked on his door

"It's open." I walked in and stood in front of his desk, waiting for his attention. "Ah, Adams-" He looked up "-please tell me you found something."

I let myself grin, "Found em' Sir-" I put the report in front of him, but ran through the footnotes, so he understood the situation. "-Kelly appears to have run off with her friend and I'm guessing crush, to Renton, I've got their current location, so they should be good to pick up."

"Oh thank god. Blue you're a lifesaver."

I gave a weak smile before deciding to add that another case might need his attention "Melody, was being abused by her mother and the two seemed to think running away was their only option. I figured you should know that the force is already working on the case, they received the judge's warrant this morning."

He gave me a stern look, "A warrant shouldn't have come that quickly."

I winced "I wasn't a hundred per cent sure on my report and though I should hold out on giving it to you, considering no one's life was in danger."

I got a knowing glare in response before being dismissed. "You may go back to your case in Forks until I have further need of you but I expect you to come back sometime in the next month to write me another report on Melody's case, seeing as you seem to be so invested in it."

"Yes, Sir."

I took my leave and laughed when Depika went rushing past, her red hair whipping me as she called out a quick apology. "Sorry!"

I waved her off and made my way outside to hail another taxi. I decided to sleep on the plane ride, grabbing a few minutes when I could, then I'd get back to investigating Oliver's disappearance.


	2. Chapter 2

I was originally going to question the Ronson's, Oliver's 2nd to last foster family, but upon taking a second look at his adjustment files, I noticed something strange. They had never mentioned he had any allergies at all, however, the Wilson's had sent him to the hospital several times with claims of an asthma attack, or hay fever. It was... odd to say the least.

I decided to head back to the station and find Oliver's medical records before questioning the Wilsons.

Unfortunately after 3 hours of searching, I just couldn't find them anywhere, I even recruited the help of Sammy, the receptionist, but still nothing.

Giving a sigh I decided to give up, the files were most likely lost in a different part of the room, and I didn't fancy searching every box. "Alright, Sammy, thanks for the help, I'll just head to the Wilson's now."

"Welp, if ya need, anything just gimme a shout. I knew Oliver, ya know?"

No, I haven't actually, interesting. "How did you know him?"

"Well he used to go to the primary school that I volunteered at, me and a group of my mates used to spend every Tuesday lunchtime down there, playing with the kids that looked lonely, he was always one of those kids. He was a nice kid too, snarky for a kid, but sweet too."

That wasn't very enlightening, but endearing all the same, "You said used too, did you stop going?"

"Nah, but Olly did. I asked the teachers about it, but they said he had to stop going to school, cause he got some illness or somethin."

I stopped short, "Illness?"

He shrugged "I didn't ask what it was, just heard that he stopped going."

I felt an urgency come upon me, "When was this? When he went missing or before?"

"Nah-" He shook his head "It was quite a bit before, about 2 years."

2 years, that put him around the time the Wilson's cared for him. I quickly dropped my satchel on the floor and started rummaging through for Oliver's foster files, I saw the folder and pulled it out. I flicked through until I found the Wilson's and scanned the page.

"Whatcha lookin for?"

Yes! I read the passage out loud in answer to Sammy's question "The Wilson's family attempted to gain custody over Oliver Wilmers, but did not pass the vetting as the number of runaway attempts were over the limit and provided cause for concern over a permanent residence."

Sammy looked confused, but I didn't bother to explain, pulling my bag over my shoulder and gathering up the file I ran to the door. "Thanks again, Sammy!"

So Oliver stayed with the Wilsons for just over a year, in that time he was pulled out of school due to an illness, and ran away multiple times.

Hopefully, my talk with the Wilsons would shed some more light on the rapidly concerning situation. I swung my leg over my bike and paused long enough to put in the key before speeding off down the road.

Knock Knock Knock

"Coming!" The door swung open to a gentleman who appeared in his mid-50s. "Hello dear, how may I help you?"

I gave a wide smile "Hiya, I'm just here to ask a few questions about one of the children you previously fostered, I know you've already been questioned, but it's a routine follow up, I assure you."

"Oh, that's quite alright dear, do come in, it's quite cold out."

I thanked him and followed him into what looked like the living room of every clique grandmother's house, disgusting wallpaper and clashing muted tone of brown, cream and peach.

"And who's this dear?" An elderly woman, also appearing in her mid-50s, asked her husband.

I answered for him, extending my arm for a handshake "Hello ma'am, I'm Detective Adams, just here to ask a few follow up questions on Oliver Wilmers disappearance, I won't take up too much of your time."

She shook my hand delicately and patted the seat beside her, "No, no that's quite alright, ask away."

I decided to stand rather than sit and after pulling out my notepad, launched straight into my first question. "Are you both the Mr and Mrs Wilsons, that fostered Oliver Wilmers?"

Mr Wilsons gave an affirmative answer and I noted that down.

"May I why you decided to foster Oliver but never continued fostering after your time with him was up?"

Mrs Wilsons answered this time, "Well Robert and I had been trying to have a child for a long time, unfortunately, it just seemed it wasn't meant to be, however, it occurred to us after watching one of those programmes on TV that we could be a home for a child that was already born, that way, we helped one who needed it and also fulfilled our desire to have a child.-"

"A noble decision."

"-As to why we didn't continue after Oliver was taken from us-" 

Taken from us. Interesting

"-Well we wanted to look after Oliver, you see, we love him like our own, he's a beautiful boy and despite his many struggles, we protected and cared for him. No other would be the same, I am afraid."

I paused as she spoke, before noting down her use of present tense. "Ma'am you mentioned he had some struggles, and I am led to believe that you pulled him out of school, why did you do that?"

"Well, Oliver, is a very special boy, but he is also very sick-"

Mr Wilsons interrupted his wife "Was. Dear, he's been taken away from us, remember."

At the reminded Mrs Wilsons let out a horrible sounding sob, "Oh yes, yes, I am sorry, Oliver, was very sick, he had asthma so none of the kids at school could play with him as they were all running around all the time, he was very lonely, and his hayfever didn't help, then we discovered that he kept getting rashes and we couldn't figure out why, eventually we realised that he had polymorphic light eruption, which means he couldn't be outside in the sun for long and as such we had to remove him from school. terrible but necessary decision."

Mr Wilsons piped up "We continued his education at home of course."

I frowned, it wasn't adding up, the family Oliver went to after this one, never said anything about any allergies, especially one as obvious as to the sun, neither did the church.

I put my notebook away and addressed them again "May I see the room he was staying in?"

Mr Wilsons jumped up, "I'm afraid not, the room was made into one for storage of furniture and other things, it is quite messy right now and you can't open the door."

I was outwardly showing my displeasure now, "If you can't open the door, Mr Wilsons, then how did you get out once putting the furniture in?"

He looked flustered "I mean, it's difficult to, especially-"

"I'll manage." I finished coldly, something was very wrong with this situation.

Mrs Wilsons seemed to have found her voice again and let out a protest "Don't you need a warrant?"

I raised an eyebrow, "You have already allowed me into your house, Ma'am, unless you have something to hide I fail to see why I will need one."

Panic flashed across both their faces but upon hearing no further protests, I turned on my heels and made my way along the hallway, until I came to the one in which the window in the door had black fabric taped over it. I took a moment to shoot a questioning look to the homeowners, which they weakly explained away. "to prevent the sun from getting in.

Interesting considering the window opened only into the hallway. But I ignored the obvious lie in favour of opening the door.

I wasn't sure what I expected to see when I pushed it open. Part of me definitely found the situation highly suspicious, but I didn’t think I was fully prepared to see a young boy lying dazed on a bed in the room. The boy was undoubtedly Oliver Wilmers.

I closed my eyes in a grimace before pushing the door further open, not sparing the homeowners a second glance.

I got close to Oliver and saw his eyes warily tracking my movements. I made my voice gentle as I spoke "Hey Oliver. I'm detective Adams, but you can call me Blue." I didn't see any recognition in his eyes, which showed he was most likely drugged. I reached out and continued to speak "I'm just going to touch you to check your pulse now okay kid?"

He didn't respond but I hadn't expected him to, in all honestly I felt bad about touching the kid when he couldn't protest, but I needed to make sure he was alright.

His pulse wasn't as strong as I would have liked, but he wasn't in any immediate danger. Pulling out my cell phone, as I crouched down next to the bed making sure I was still in his line of sight, I dialled Charlie's number.

"Hello?"

"Charlie, it's Blue. I found the kid, he's drugged up pretty bad, I'm going to take him to the hospital, but I need you to send some officers to Wilson's house, it's a crime scene, and I need them detained for kidnapping and drugging a minor."

"Jesus Christ."

Honestly, I was feeling the same way, but at the moment I needed to keep my head about me, a quick glance toward the doorway showed neither of the Wilson's had attempted to interfere yet, but I needed to get the kid out and soon.

"I'll fill you in later, and write my report as well." With that, I hung up and shoved my phone into my pocket.

"Okay, Oliver. I'm going to lift you now, and we're going to ride on a really loud bike, so we can get to the hospital yea." I pulled him into my arms bridal style, but he was quite small even for his age, so his head rested near my heart quite easily, "Then the hospital’s going to do some tests, to make sure you're okay."

I walked with him to the doorway and poked my head out to check where the owners were before walking with fast strides down the hall.

Mrs Wilson, let out a wail when she saw me, which I ignored in favour of making my way through the living room as quickly as possible. Mr Wilson did attempt to weakly grab at me but I moved around him with a sharp snap "Do not!"

"Not my baby! Please! Please! He needs our care! We know how to look after him! Please! Oliver! Baby!"

Her cries were muffled by the time I made it outside, and I didn't give them a chance to follow before placing Oliver in front of me on the bike. I pulled off the strap that held my shoulder bag and abandoned the bag on the pavement, using the strap to secure Oliver to myself, before kicking off and speeding towards the hospital.

Somewhere along the way, Oliver's eyes had started to roll and his eyelids flickered, I wasn't great at medical stuff, but I knew that wasn't a good sign.

I nearly cried when the massive sign for the hospital came into view and I made sure not to crash in the last stretch.

Once I made it there I swung Oliver into my arms again, and ran him to the reception, upon seeing the boy in my arms the receptionist started yelling for medical attention and I was swamped with people in seconds.

They pulled up a stretcher and I let him down on it, having enough time to briefly explain he was drugged, but I didn't know what with before they wheeled him away.

The stress finally got to me, combined with the jet lag and lack of sleep and I found myself humiliatingly sinking to the floor with tears tracking down my face. I buried my face in my hands and let myself cry.

Sometime later I heard a faint voice ask if I was alright, and I let the young girl who appeared to be a patient lead me outside for some fresh air.

Once I had calmed down a bit, I called Charlie up again, and let him know about the bag I had left behind, containing the files. He said another officer had already picked it up and it was in evidence. The Wilson's were apparently in custody and were being processed now. I let out a relieved whimper at the news which prompted Charlie to sternly order me to take a nap, before filling out the report.

I was thankful for the excuse to put off the report, not really feeling like doing it right now, but there was no way I would be sleeping. Instead, I went back inside and asked after Oliver's condition.

He had been given a blood test and they were waiting on the results to see if they needed to give him anything, but it seemed like it was most likely he would just have to wait until the drugs got out of his system. I was allowed to visit him, and so I found myself seated on the floor next to his bed, my back against the draws beside him and head resting on the mattress.

I was glad I hadn't let Oliver be given up on. He could have been held prisoner in that house, drugged until the elder couple had passed away, and even then he might not have been found, left to die in his drugged state unable to help himself…

I pushed the thought away, angrily. It didn't matter now. He was safe, that wasn't going to happen.

\--IMMORTAL--

I did fill out that report in the next few days and sent a copy off to the Captain as well as Charlie. I got a reply from Derek telling me to stay in the town until he needed me, no doubt his way of forcing a vacation on me, but he did mention that forks had some strange cases, further back in history, which I thought a weak excuse, but weirdly I was reluctant to leave the town, and as such, I allowed the reasoning.

I left Oliver's room before he woke up and hadn't been back since. Charlie had gone to see him, so he could get an official statement and had returned to say Oliver wanted to see me. I had been hesitant to do so, I never really engaged in the rescue of my work, it was the everyday police's job, however, I had gotten close to this case, and that had never happened before.

After another day of putting it off, my mind guiltily brought up the fact that Oliver didn't have anyone so he was most likely awfully lonely in the hospital.

And so I found myself making my way to his room with an ice-cream cake. I really didn't know how to deal with kids. I loved kids, I thought they were awesome and they were definitely my favourite part of society, but It did not mean I knew anything about them. Hence the cake.

I poked my head around the door before entering, announcing my presence, "Knock, Knock."

"Who's there?" A delighted youthful voice put my worries to rest and I let the grin take over my face at the pure response. 

I stepped inside fully and placed the cake on the dresser. "Detective Adams, but you can call me Blue." 

"You said that before."

I was a little surprised at that, I had thought he wouldn't have remembered me but just wanted to know the person who had found him. "Yes, I did."

He paused for a moment before declaring "Well then you can call me Orange."

I laughed, honestly I loved kids. "Alright Olly Orange, I would like to inform you that I have brought ice-cream cake."

His face twisted into confusion and I had a second to appreciate how you can always pick what a kid is feeling if only from their exaggerated features before his words hit. "I can't have ice-cream, Mum says I'm allergic to dairy."

I winced, I had been informed that the psychological condition that the Wilsons had was called Munchausen syndrome by proxy, meaning they diagnosed the person they were caring for with illnesses in an effort to control them. Figuring I was not a psychologist and not qualified to deal with addressing that to a 7-year-old I responded with "Well the worst that could happen is you throw up, besides you’re already in the hospital."

Probably not good advice, but I knew he wasn't allergic to dairy, having found his medical records in the Wilson's house during the police's collection of evidence.

He didn't seem overly concerned for his own health, more likely he said it because he had been trained too because once the excuse had left my mouth he had made grabby hands for the cake.

Chuckling I sat it down and let the kid devour into it, a sound of delight as the ice-cream turned out to be cold and easily smooshed. I let the smile stay as I watched him enjoy the treat, he had probably never had ice-cream before, no one really thinks to treat a foster kid.

I ended up staying the whole day, watching a few trash cartoons, before he stole the remote and flicked it onto a space documentary, which was fine with me.

Around 6:00 pm I had snuck out with the promise of returning and came back with some proper food, better than the hospital staff, which I not so subtly threw out the window. But it made him laugh so worth the scolding I got from the staff.

After that, I said goodbye and told him I'd visit again before the week was up.

A big part of me was already feeling anxious, that I wasn't working on another case, but I pushed it aside for the moment.

I decided to stop in at the station and check on Charlie.

"Blue, look at this." Upon seeing me he promptly dragged me into his office and shoved some papers into my hands. It took me a moment to understand and then the feeling of being violently ill returned. Down in black ink, the drugs that were in Oliver's system were listed. It was the amount that initially made my stomach churn, the kid was 7, there was no way he wasn't going to have any permanent damage for this.

I dragged in a breath and flipped the page, the next side wasn't any better, it provided the list of personal diagnoses that the Wilson's had given to Oliver. I narrowed my eyes at the list and looked up sharply, "How did they get these prescriptions? Who authorised this?"

"We don't know, there aren't any records of it so far but we are checking the hospital's records for those specific drugs in the last few months and from when Oliver was with them before that."

I nodded that was what I would have done next. "Don't you need a court order for the patient's confidentiality?"

"No, as we aren't looking at the Wilson's records directly just checking for the drugs bought and which doctor issued them, it isn't a problem."

"Smart. Well, I think I should go back to the crime scene, if you've finished quarantining it, I might be able to get some clues on the dealer, and I haven't been able to shake a feeling."

Charlie shot me a concerned look "I'm not sure that's a good idea when was the last time you slept?"

Honestly, I didn't remember, it could have been the night before last, probably on the plane, but it didn't matter, I never needed much sleep, "It shouldn't take long." I avoided his question.

"Blue, go home, rest. Whatever feeling you have, can wait till tomorrow. In Fact, I'll swing by yours and take you in the morning-"

I began to protest "-You don't have to do that, I have a bik-"

"No, I need to check over the house as well, we can do it together, kill two birds one stone, and all that."

I sighed giving up, now I had to wait until morning, which was no doubt Charlie's real intention. "Alright, see you then." I handed back the papers and made my way to my apartment.

I disliked sitting, I disliked beds, and I hated sleeping, unfortunately, all of those things were difficult to avoid, although I usually prefer to get to the point were sleep came naturally in the form of blacking out, much more peaceful I'd found and then the decision was out of my hands entirely.

I stared down at the bed before turning on my heels and walking into the bathroom to shower.

Once I was done I reached for the small packet of pills for my insomnia. I didn't like taking them as the thought of being in a drug-induced sleep if something were to happen, the image of Oliver lying on his bed unable to move came to mind, and I hurriedly pushed it down and swallowed the pills.

I flopped onto the bed and felt the drugs take effect falling into unconsciousness.

Stone arched high into the darkened night, stars littered the sky, providing just enough light to bounce off the deep stone.

A rush pulled me into the grand structure and I felt myself move with speed but never lifting my feet.

Inside the castle was even grander than the exterior, three thrones were the centrepiece of the room. A series of words were etched into the marble ceiling overhead, written in a language I couldn't read.

A shrill laugh sent a shiver down my spine, but I was unable to turn towards the source.

A deeper chuckle came from the other direction behind me and still, I couldn't move.

A flash. A grin. 

Black.

I sat up sharply, sucking in air and cursing my decision to take the meds, I never dreamed when I passed out, only when I took the pills, another reason I hated them.

I glanced over at the time and flopped back onto the bed with a groan, 4:53 AM, Well I wasn't getting back to sleep now. I got up showered again, to get rid of the disgusting sweat and pulled some groceries out to make breakfast for both myself and something for Charlie as he was picking me up.

\--IMMORTAL--

The throne room was filled with Aro's delighted sound as Marcus moved with lightning speed, the group of Vampires in pieces within seconds.

His joy was joined by Caius as a deeper chuckle penetrated the air. It was rare that Marcus indulged in his darker nature, however, the Kings did oh so love when he did.

Before another second had passed, Marcus was back in his throne and staring melancholy off to the side, looking for all purposes as though all meaning had gone from the world.

The other two Kings knew better though, Sure Didyme's death had affected the older vampire, she had been his best friend for an eternity, her death had affected the whole coven, but she wasn't Marcus's mate as many assumed, and as such the void that came with losing ones mate, simply wasn't there.

The Kings never did anything to disprove the illusions many had, it worked in their favour often.

The Kings had a reputation, to be ruthless and powerful, however, many believed the wrong reasons for why this was. They believed Aro to be a collector, and his prizes the strength of the Volturi. They feared Caius's rage and the two dark-haired King's Vampiric powers.

Their ignorance was what would cost them.

A glance to the foot of the thrones showed the shattered remains of the 6 Vampires that had dared to strike an attack on the raven-haired King.

Aro had seen the attack coming, had felt their intentions before even they, however, he had not moved, letting the Vampire come within a hair's breadth of him and still he stayed.

Marcus threw an unimpressed gaze at his mate.

Another chuckle left the blond Kings lips and his two mates turned to him. "Must you always play games Aro?"

What could have passed for an innocent look crossed Aro's face "Why brother, did you not enjoy the show."

A scoff came from his right and a board sounding drawl from Marcus followed "I was under the impression we were trying to keep up appearances."

Aro flashed in front of Marcus "There's no one here to see, nor talk of your display of strength." he purred the words to the other, watching in delight as the older Vampires eyes darkened. Another flash and Caius appeared, ready to take part in the fun.

The three Kings were knowingly mated, however, it was incorrectly assumed that Marcus was also mated to Didyme. The rumours only began after she disappeared, most likely from the newer staff that saw Marcus's heartbroken state. It never would have been assumed when she was alive as a vampire can tell the mate of another by their scent, even before that vampire has met their mate.

The Kings had been mated for over three thousand years and as such, a tight bond had been made between them, however, their bond was not complete, Marcus could see this and they could all feel it, but after three thousand years, they believed they had missed the life of their fourth and had accepted the rest of eternity incomplete.

\--IMMORTAL--

I had ended up making a bunch of food, sweet and savoury, and had wrapped it in a sheet, then shoved it in my backpack for later.

True to his word, Charlie came and picked me up, staying long enough for some scrambled eggs and bacon, before we headed off.

The house didn't provide much more insight like I had hoped, but there really wasn't much else left of the case, and I had to admit to myself I was lying by saying there was, the truth being I now felt somewhat responsible for the kid I had essential saved, and the fact daunted me, making me need the pressure of work to keep the other emotions away.

Despite my dilemma, after being dropped back home, I picked up my backpack and took off on my bike to the hospital.

I walked with nervous steps to ward 5A and knocked on the door.

Knock Knock Knock

"Who's there!" 

the sound of Olly's giggle to himself at his own joke, pulled an involuntary smile onto my face that I didn't regret in the slightest.

"Blue" I called back.

"Blue Who?"

I snorted, indulging him I continued "Blueberry Muffins."

At that, I pushed the door open and walked over to his bed.

He cocked his head in confusion, "I don't get it."

I smirked, opening my bag to pull out the sheet bundle and unwrapping it on his bed. "Blueberry muffins, as in, I come bearing gifts."

His face lit up and he instantly grabbed a custard tart and proceeded to smash it into his teeth, rather than biting down, but each to their own I guess.

I sat myself down on the edge of his bed and pulled one of the savouries to my own face, opting to try his form of eating and getting a hysterical squeal in response, as the cream managed to get all over my hands and nose.

I gave a snigger and used my tongue to wipe it up, "Yummm!" I could get used to the refreshing look of mischief on the kid's face.

"Olly, did the doctors say anything about any damage to your body because of the drugs?" I was probably speaking to the 7-year-old too much like he was another adult, but I had never been good at changing my way of talking, and honestly, I didn't know how to start.

Thankfully the kid if anything seemed to appreciate the lack of dumbing things down, most likely because he had been told he 'wouldn't understand' one to many times in his life. Better to let him try I figured.

"The doctor said that my liver was damaged, so I can never have alcohol, and I'm supposed to take lost of vitamins because I was... he said a word that starts with mmm, but means not enough food-"

"Malnourished."

"-Yes!"

I nodded, it sounded right, frankly, I was surprised there weren't more permanent issues after seeing the list of drugs that he had been on. I could help the spike of anger that hit knowing Olly would never be allowed to have alcohol, regardless of one's opinions on it, to never be given the choice, because of someone else's actions... it made my blood boil.

"thsh is good!"

I pulled myself out of my thoughts to re-engage with the kid, flipping to TV onto the history channel this time. I stayed for 4 hours, watching the TV and just enjoying talking with him. By the time I was ready to leave, we both had some extensive knowledge on how the Roman empire and each other's favourite colours, apparently mine was Blue, because 'or else it's not your name'. But he conceded when I claimed Orange, stating he can have Blue if I could have Orange, that way our names were opposites.

\--IMMORTAL--

I had planned to come to see Olly again the next day, but apparently he beat me to it when I woke to find him peering down at my grinning face.

Blinking slowly, he didn't move back and in response to the surprise, I simply sighed.

I really didn't have much of a scare instinct, I seemed to get more calm or apathetic in surprising situations than frantic or stressed.

"Olly, what are you doing out of the hospital?" Instead of moving back, he climbed onto the bed clambering over me as he went. "Oof"

"I wanted to see you again."

"Uh-huh, well I don't suppose they released you?"

"Nope."

I was probably an irresponsible adult for not caring that a 7-year-old had just run away from the hospital, successfully evading everyone, and since I hadn't got a call from Charlie, no one had raised the alarm yet. I wasn't too surprised, he probably had gotten quite good at disappearing, with his practice of running away, besides, I knew where he was, so that was being responsible right?"

"Are you going to sleep in my bed?"

He squirmed for a while more before stating in a definitive tone "Yes. But you should make blueberry pancakes first, then we can sleep, then we can go for a play in the forest."

I raised an eyebrow which was obstructed by the pillow in my face, "Oh am I going to do that?"

He nodded excitedly "I'll show you my fort!"

I grinned to myself at his attempts to sway me, before hauling myself out of the bed and towards my kitchen, "Very well, I suppose you'll be needing your strength then."

The chiming sound of his giggles made the fact I had been woken from my measly 4 hours of sleep well worth it.

True to Olly's plans, we ate breakfast, Olly took a nap while I read over some emails, and then we headed into the forest to play.

I was being led through trees upon trees and had absolutely no clue where I was or how to get out, but figured Olly knew the way so I didn’t protest. 5 minutes later and we came to the foot of what was clearly one of the oldest trees judging by the size of its trunk.

Olly pushed aside the curtain of leaves and sticks that were positioned around the base and I peered down to see a small little gap between two of the larger exposed roots, Olly sat in the spot like a king would a throne and looked up at me with pride. 

It was clear the place had been a haven for him, no doubt having made it himself and I felt incredibly touched he would share it with me. "Wow kid, that a neat looking throne you've made there."

Clearly it was the right thing to say because he launched into explaining how he commanded all the beings in the forest. "...the Blackbird that's really big, watches from the sky and if someone is trying to steal my kingdom then he tells me."

"The blackbird?"

He hummed an affirmative "The one that big, and has- Over there!" He excitedly pointed to the canopy of the forest and after a moment I saw the bird he was pointing to.

"That's a Raven, very beautiful one too."

"The Raven, blackbird is watching us all now, and-" He turned to me sternly "-If you try or even think about stealing from me then Raven will tell me and then I will kick you in the knees, so you fall in the mud."

I gave him a look of utter seriousness "A fair punishment. But you don't need to worry, I have no plans to steal from the King, in fact-" I pulled out a polished ring of obsidian, I had kept it from a case after it had been cleared from lock up and no one had claimed it, I had intended to give it to Olly and had purchased a leather cord to thread it through, as well as had my phone number inscribed on it.

I presented him with it by getting on both knees and holding it out, "King Olly the Orange, Please accept this gift."

I felt the necklace be pulled from my hands by smaller ones and had to smile at the adorable look of both shock and excitement as he pulled it over his head. "Thank you Blueberry!"

I barely had time to prepare myself before he had launched his arms around my neck in a fierce hug, I blushed, not remembering the last time someone had hugged me or even got close in any way, I tried not to push my touch starved nature onto the kid and gently pulled him back down before explaining further.

"I know, you like your freedom and are prone to running away, while I won't discourage that, I should, but I won't, you should know that my number is on the inside of the ring and if you ever need me, but don't remember my number, just look down and I'll come if you need."

He nodded, showing he had listened but seemed far too absorbed with his gift to really be paying attention, I wasn't worried, he would figure it out if he needed to.

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly with Olly showing me the borders of his kingdom, which turned out to be quite a big chunk of the forest. I was impressed at his sense of direction and clearly he felt more at home in the woods than he ever had in the system.

When it started getting colder I decided we should start heading back and made a note to purchase some blankets for his hideaway should he decide to sleep there sometime in the future, no doubt having done so before, despite the chill of the night.

Olly pulled my hand until we were out of the forest and he happily continued to lead me back to my apartment. It did briefly cross my mind to be a little concerned about how he had figured out where I was staying, but I didn't really mind. He seemed to have a way of finding where he needed to go.

The next few weeks passed rather eventfully, it turned out that Olly was friends with most of the Quiltentrern Tribe in La Push, and was one of the reasons Charlie had been so upset not to find him. 

I quite liked the Clearwaters, Leah and Seth were favourites of Olly, so perhaps I was a little biased, but still, I enjoyed their company and once Leah had realised I wasn't so easily turned away with hostility, we tended to drift to one another while watching our boys play, Seth was a little older than Olly at 14 but the two boys were best mates, and I found myself travelling down to La Push more and more.

The hospital rang the station about Olly's disappearances, but after the 4th time, they just posted a notice which said if anyone saw him to send him back. Which I never did.

Olly did go back to the hospital occasionally, with no real pattern, he seemed to wander wherever he pleased often finding himself at my doorstep, I had taken to having constant food in the house, preparing healthy things as well as the junk Olly loved, and as a result, was taking more care of myself than I had in years, It was a little shocking once I came to the realisation, but not a bad one. Just odd.

Charlie and I had also grown closer, I'd helped out with some basic police runs to kill time and keep me busy and Charlie had attempted to help by sending out for some ancient texts on long-gone mysteries never solved.

It was incredibly sweet of him and I found myself absorbed every night pouring over the ancient Roman Era words, I'd translated enough of it to notice a few odd inconsistencies and was feeling the familiar pull of a case with every new word.

_The group was more beautiful than any marble statue of even the gods themselves had right to be, and yet they were not made of ivory stone but moved as man does, with grace stolen from Juno herself. I had seen them weep for their loss but tears did not grace our mortal world._

Interesting. The unknown author of the account had described the group they had seen as ethereal in many different ways but seemed unable to not state that they were gods incarnate. The beings he described were impressive to imagine, but apparently they had lost someone, which in itself wasn't surprising, the thing that was, was the number of disappearances that happened around the time, no others had been described to be mourned by the angels of old, though.

I was curious and my curiosity was what had made my choices and been my motivation for my whole life, so obviously I was going to investigate.

I started by heading back to Seattle to search the archives as I had intended to do before being forced on my 'holiday'.

I visited the hospital before I went, to find Olly and inform him that I would be gone for a few days, but I didn't find him, after going to his forest and La Push and coming up empty I let Charlie know in case Olly was worried, and made my way to my bike, leaving out some food.

The ride to Seattle didn't take as long as I remembered and before I knew it I was at the gates to the library. 

Unfortunately, it was padlocked shut.

I cursed and kicked the metal doors in frustration. Derik didn't know I was in town, no doubt he would send me back if he did, and Depika, while amazing, was only easy to bribe on somethings, breaking into the archive, well I doubted she'd be alright with that.

I turned and sat on the edge of the pavement, I'd driven all this way and wasn't going to turn back now, but I had to come up with a plan.

"Hey, Blueezy!"

My head shot up at the call, only one person I knew could butcher my name in so many ways. "Olly?"

"Over here!"

I turned behind me towards the library and my eyes were drawn to a little head popping out of the building, from what appeared to be a vent a good two feet above the top of the door. How in the hell had he gotten up there? Let alone to Seattle at all?

"Come on! Blue! This way!" And with that, his head disappeared back into the vent and I was moving without conscious thought.

Kicking my bike’s stand up, and wheeling it under the vent I carefully balanced on the seat and grasped the edges of the hole, to pull myself in.

Once in, I came face to face with Olly, his little nose pushed into mine, he didn't really have a concept of personal space. "Well?" I questioned, "Are we going?"

Olly didn’t seem to know why I wanted to illegally enter the library but he seemed down for the adventure and turned somehow in the tiny space, before scuttling along on all fours.

We made it out of the vent system and I mentally thanked Olly's freaky sense of direction because I definitely would have been lost when the vents had split into different forks.

Olly swung down with all the appearances of a monkey and I followed, decidedly less gracefully.

"So-" Olly started up at me "Whatcha lookin for?"

I began to wander along the shelves and shelves of boxes as I answered him, "I'm not really sure, the texts Charlie gave me were interesting but unfortunately I don't have an exact date, I do however have a few names, which if I could match, would give me a date to work from."

He nodded rapidly "What names?"

"Dacia, Romania, Rome, Volturi, ah-" I paused searching my memory for the name that had been associated with the god-like beings, who did they mourn, "-Oh yea and Didyme. That's kind of an unusual name, see if you can find anything with those words."

I turned to find Olly had disappeared but gave it no mind.

I did my own searching and found myself targeting one of the words in particular, 'Volturi', it held some meaning I wasn't aware of, and google searches had gotten my nowhere, it was like the word didn't mean anything, at least I hadn't been able to translate it, and it didn’t seem to hold any meaning in Italy. The closest I'd come to was Volterra, a city near Rome, so I suppose it might have had to do with them, perhaps it was the cult of god-like beings?

"Found something!" Paper was shoved into my hands at the declaration, and I scanned my eyes over the Latin. I couldn't read it fluently but sure enough, the name 'Didyme' stood out on the faded ink.

"Great job Olly, where did you find it?"

He took me to the shelves near the back and showed me the box, allowing me to take note of the time 1180 BC It appeared the woman had gone missing a very long time ago.

Shoving the papers in my satchel to translate later, I gestured to Olly, it was time we left, the sun would be up soon and I didn’t fancy getting arrested for breaking into a library of all places.

I boosted Olly up to the vent and managed a muscle up to get back into the space, before Olly took off once again.

Once safely outside the Library with the vent's guard back in place, I pushed my helmet onto Olly, ignoring his muffled protest and swung him in front of me with instructions to place his hands on the bar and hold on.

I clicked off and felt Olly get knocked back a bit, but he didn’t go far before my body stopped him, he seemed to realise this and the death grip he had on the metal loosened slightly.

I made sure to stop several times along the way, so Olly could have food and toilet breaks, even stopping once as we passed a playground and I found myself pushing the carousel faster and faster, as Olly’s shrieks got louder and louder until I jumped from the ground and clung onto the bars myself feeling adrenaline race through me as the wind whipped past in a different fashion from riding.

I hadn't felt so peaceful in years.


	3. Chapter 3

Olly had fallen asleep in the last stretch, so I carried him to my apartment and settled him down in my bed. I wasn’t planning on using it anyway.

A glance at the clock showed it was 1 in the morning. I pulled out my phone and decided to listen to my voicemails.

Beeeeeep

_Hey Adams. It’s Derek. Just giving you a heads up the boys upstairs want the detectives' department out of Seattle, no need to panic your job is not on the line, they just want the office work done in a different location as your office is being redesigned for a new department. All that means for you is I’ll be forwarding you any cases and Depika will ring you through to chat if you need a second opinion._

_I’m sorry about the change but you’re pretty good at adapting and I know this doesn't affect you too much, in fact, you could travel. Take a break from city life, you might even choose to stay in Forks, whatever you choose, you’ll not be needed here for a while at least._

_Once the departments are all sorted I might call you back in every now and again, it seems you did a good job with the fieldwork for that Wilmers case, higher-ups think Lieutenant might be in the cards, but for that you’ll need to stop in at the main offices every now and again, something to think on. Anyway, I hope that Wilmers case is entertaining enough for you Adams, we don’t have any others for you at the moment. Take care._

Huh. Well that changed things. 

...But he did bring up a good point, I’d forgotten that Olly’s case wasn’t closed yet, and it had been bugging me that there was something very… concerning. The implications of how the Wilsons got the drugs they used on Olly, I didn’t like it one bit.

Glancing at the kid I could help the fond look that found its way onto my face. He was special, but most importantly he had been vulnerable, in a position that had been exploited and whilst it had been a one-off, I intended to make sure it stayed that way. Starting tomorrow I would go down to the station and start personally checking in on all the fosters within the town.

For now I slid down the kitchen counter and pulled my knees up, settling down for a few hours, I couldn’t sleep not with how on edge I was, so I resigned myself to watching the door.

\--IMMORTAL--

“Come on squirt, up you get.”

I got a groan in response and the mop of brown hair disappeared under the covers. Chuckling I strolled over, already having showered and changed for the day, I ripped the sheats back and got a healthy dose of shrieking to make sure that, yes, I was in fact awake. “Olly Olly Oliver, we have a fun day ahead, come on!”

I was treated to a rather rude gesture before I pointed to the plate with blueberry pancakes sitting on the bench, he immediately brightened. Jumping off the bed like a trampoline and clambering up the bar stool as though the food would disappear.

“Alrighty, don’t choke kid. I thought today I’d take you to a few stores and you can choose your birthday present, then we’ll head to the station, apparently, Charlie wants to talk to us.”

He paused between a bite “It’s my birthday?”

I held back the frown, “Yeah, bud. Eight years old, before you know it you’ll be getting a job and making your way in the world.” Which reminded me, the kid needed to get some form of education. Something I’d talk to Charlie about.

Cleaning up, we headed down the elevator and jumped onto my bike, it was almost natural the way he sat in front of me and gripped the bars. I should also get another helmet, one that fits him while we were out.  
  


We went to a few toy shops, I figured he’d want something from there, but when he hadn't seemed interested I decided to think more outside the box and took him to a tech store.

“Bubbly! Come look at this one! It can take the pictures and print them out as well!.” he’d found a camera that took Polaroids, pretty cool and much better than some plastic figurine.

Picking it up I confirmed it was the one he wanted, “You like the colour? There’s a blue one if you want?”

“No. That one please.”

“Alright.”

The camera he’d chosen was a pastel, pinky-orange, almost a faded peach. Just as I was about to pay for it my eye caught one of the devices behind the counter and I asked the lady to get it down for me.

“It’s a voice recorder, really good quality that, but if you wanted one that could hold more, singing-type stuff, you should go for the...”

I cut her off “No it’s alright, I’ll just take these please.”

She rang up the items and heading out of the shop I figured it was time for some lunch. “Where do you want to go, Olly?”

“Officer Charlie’s.”

I didn’t think Charlie would want to provide lunch for us so I compromised and picked up Subway on the way.

We walked into the station, and I nodded in greeting to Sammy, before heading to Charlie’s office.

He waved us in when he saw us. “Hey, Blue good to see ya again.” He turned to Olly “And you too Mr, seems you like to make a habit of avoiding people.”

Olly stuck out his chest indignantly “I’m here today.”

“Yes you are, and for that, I’m grateful because there are a few things I need to discuss with them both of you. Please close the door and have a seat.”

We did as asked while I chose to stand beside Olly as he sat, waiting for Charlie to begin.

“As you know Olly, your foster parents Mr and Mrs Wilsons were not very nice people and they gave you medication they should not have given you, because you weren't sick.” He paused for Olly to nod before continuing “Well they are currently in the process of being prosecuted and are facing jail time, however, to help move the case against them alone, we need to find where they were able to get those drugs.” He leaned forward “Olly it’s really important to us, that if you remember hearing anything that could help, you tell us.”

Olly screwed up his face to show he was thinking, which we let him do before he spoke in a shaky voice, “I don’t know anything about where they got the medicine.”

Charlie was quick to placate him “That’s okay Olly, we just wanted to be sure.”

“Does that mean I have to go back to Mom and Dad?”

My jaw clenched and I interjected before Charlie could, “No. No matter what happens, you will never be going back to them.” This time I addressed them both “You needed not concern yourselves with the dealers, I will find out who it was. I promise.”

Charlie looked a little concerned, and frankly, I was a little surprised at myself, the last time I had openly promised someone anything had been a very long time ago.

“Very well Blue, but do be careful, you are allowed to follow leads but any attempts to take the justice system into your own hands…”

My frown seemed to be telling enough and he quickly reassured “Not that I think you would, but-” He gave a pointed look to how close I stood to Olly “You seem rather personally invested in this case.” 

It was true, I’d never let myself get so attached before, I wanted to regret it, but found I couldn’t, not when I remembered the look on Olly’s face as he spotted the pink camera, or his cheeky grin every time he snuck into my apartment, so proud of himself for outwitting us all. No, I didn’t regret it.

I kept Charlie's words in mind though, there was no reason for me to charge headfirst into any leads without a plan, I needed to do a lot of paper trails first before I went to investigate. 

And so I found myself accepting Charlie's invitation for Dinner, it was extended to Olly but the kid seemed to want to spend the rest of his birthday using his present and doing his own thing.

I pulled up to the Swan’s residence and made it to the front door, I was about to press the doorbell when my eyes caught the note taped above it. ‘Doorbell broken, shout Ding Dong really loud.” I snorted, Charlie had mentioned his daughter had come to stay with him for a while, I liked her already.

“Ding Dong!”

“Coming!” The door opened to see a girl with chocolate hair looking to be around her late teens. “Hi, Charlie said we’d have company. Didn’t think anyone would actually do it.” She said nodding to the sign.

I grinned at her “I rarely turn away a dare. May I come in?”

She flushed “Oh yea, of course.” Hurriedly moving out of the way and gesturing me in. 

She showed me into the living room and made her escape to help her father with dinner, instructing me to make myself at home.

I took the opportunity to look around, noticing the fishing poles leaning against the corner, a well-worn copy of Romeo and Juliet sitting open on the coffee table and a few paintings which looked to be done by her, it was overall a homely place, and judging by the extent of classical literature I figured Charlie’s kid was pretty into history. It was nice actually, to find people's passions. 

I like fish and mysteries, it seemed Charlie liked fishing, and his kid was into ancient history… I glanced at the copy of Romeo and Juliet, and Romance.

My musing was interrupted as the two came back into the living room carrying plates of food, after moving to help them set the food on the coffee table, Bella took a seat on one end of the couch and her father took the chair. I hesitated about to sit on the floor before...

“You don’t like chairs very much do you.” I paused glancing at Charlie and unsure how to respond “It’s alright, I’m guessing something happened on the job, or before. You don’t have to talk about it, I just noticed.”

I gave a weak smile “Chairs are easy to tie people down-” My voice quieted “-I don’t like being confined.”

Before either of us could break the awkwardness, the teen did it first, “Oh, would you like to sit in the middle, away from the edges…”

It was incredibly sweet and for a moment I was shocked into silence, but she started to move and I interjected, “That’s not necessary,” before she could protest I sat myself beside her on the sofa. Another beat of silence “Thank you though.”

She smiled awkwardly and extended her hand, “I’m Bella”

“Blue.”

She laughed “Like the colour?”

I winked “Exactly.”

“Well, dig in girls, before I eat it all.”

It was a nice night, I learn Bella was in her last year of high school and seemed to prefer plants to people if the succulents and cacti in her room were anything to go by, which is where we had gone after Charlie had shooed us away to clean up.

She seemed really sweet, if not extremely awkward, which honestly at her age weren't we all? Frankly, we got along really well, and before I knew it we had divulged into more personal topics than I had gotten with anyone in years.

I talked about my job, Depika, and my boss. Eventually, I began to talk about the kid I had started to care for, and she talked about the boy she was dating, Edward.

“It’s just, I know I’m really interested in him, but a big part of me is… not scared but-”

“Unsure?” I suggested

She nodded “Exactly, like I’m not afraid of him or anything but, he has different views on things, and if we are going to be together he doesn't seem to be open to any compromises, it might change later on...” She trailed off.

“I don’t think you should base a relationship on the hope someone will allow change, obviously you don’t want to change him, you clearly like him as he is, but a relationship is a union between _two_ people. Your thoughts and feelings are just as _equally_ valid as his, he can’t be the one to always call the shots, that's not a relationship that’s a dictatorship.”

She seemed to be seriously considering my words and quietly agreed “Yea, I think you’re right, at the same time, it’s so intense you know, not like it’s his fault because it’s not, but I just, I’ve never been in a relationship before and it's a lot. I don’t know how I’m feeling, it’s like I can’t even tell anymore, I kind of just want him to tell me.”

I bit my lip, I wasn’t the best person to be giving a teenager love advice, seeing as I’d never had any kind of relationship in my life… but I’d seen similar behaviour patterns and I had to study psychology to get to where I was, what Bella was describing… It seemed dependent at the least. 

At some point, Charlie had come up and seen us engaged in deep conversation and had let us know he was watching TV in the lounge. 

“Here’s what I think Bella. You're clearly capable of making these choices and I definitely understand not wanting too, but from what you’ve told me, and I’m in no way trying to blame Edward of anything, but I think he took you by surprise, I think you haven't had someone so openly show interest in you before, and now someone is it’s nice, and that’s okay, you're allowed to like the attention. I do think some part of you does like him, but I also think you’re unsure how much, how intensely you like him, especially with how much he seems to like you.”

She let out a shaky breath and flopped back against her pillows “Isn't that what a relationship is supposed to be, aren't you supposed to work out what you love about each other?”

“Sure.” I agreed “But what if you realise you don’t love him? Are you afraid that you will hurt his feelings if you get in too deep and tell him you don’t feel the same, would you tell him? Or would you keep it to yourself?”

She stayed silent. 

“My mother wasn’t like me, in the sense that, she couldn’t keep a secret to save her life, she needed to speak to people about everything to help her make sense of what was happening, if she was having trouble and there was no one to talk to, she would say it out loud as though someone was listening, just so she could get a better picture of her own feelings.

I’m not like that, I work it out with time and logical analysis, but you could consider, talking to someone, anyone or everyone, get more than one opinion, get seven. Or write it down, what you’re feeling, just so you learn to recognise those feelings more when you are overwhelmed or everything seems too intense. Just don’t ever think you don’t have any options, don’t let anyone make you think you are trapped.”

To my surprise, the girl lurched forward and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. She seemed just as surprised as myself and tried to pull away, but I gripped her tightly, I didn’t know about her mother, and although I loved Charlie, he was a don’t tell don’t ask kind of parent, I doubted she’d had someone to hold her in a long time.

“Thank you.”

I didn’t answer, just stayed until I felt her muscles relax, then bid her goodnight, reckoning she’d had enough of my advice for the day.

I walked down the stairs and called goodbye to Charlie and left through the door.

I was about to mount my bike when Charlie came hurrying out. “Hey, Blue, I wanted to thank you, I haven’t seen Bells- well engage with someone for a while, I appreciate it.”

“Ah on the contrary Charlie, your daughter is very compelling. I found myself being rather open with her also.” I didn’t provide any information about what we had talked about, that was Bella’s choice whether she wanted her dad to know or not.

“Well, maybe you will be good for each other.”

I smirked, sliding my helmet over my head, “Maybe.” And took off.

\--IMMORTAL--

I tossed in my bed, throwing the sheets off as I screwed up my eyes, I was dreaming and fell deeper into it, but my heart bet two fast to be comfortable.

I was wondering about a room of marble sculptures, travelling along the pearlescent floors. I didn’t know where I was going, my feet seemed to move for me, I didn’t mind, the sights were beautiful. Paintings so real that if I didn’t see the textured stokes I would have mistaken it for a photograph.

I found myself stopped before heavy dark oak doors, the joints made of bronze, my gaze drawn up to the coat of arms that crowned the entranceway. It was split into four, one section with eyes made of black abyss, another had teeth shaped around the edge of the shape, resembling a mouth waiting to devour, the third contained lines which crossed and intercepted like threads of gold, delicate but precious. And the last section was entirely blank... strange.

My hand reached up for the symbol even though I could never hope to touch it with how tall the archway was. I felt like I had seen the symbol before.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the doors swinging open. I was greeted by the sight of a man. No, a being, for no man looked so wholly, unholy, angelic and devilish at once.

He stood with a look of delight written all over his face, before him, a man restrained by both arms and fear in every inch of his body.

They appeared not to have noticed me. I crept closer, drawn in by the god-like being halted only as he spoke.

“Felix.”

A scream sounded from the man restrained on the floor, but my gaze was unwavering. The stranger's voice hypnotised me, sounding childlike and intensely knowledgeable at the same time.

Another voice rose from a far corner I hadn't noticed before, I glanced there and was surprised to see two more beings that eluded the same intoxicating power.

“Clean up that mess Demetri.”

The blond had been the one to speak and I watched captivated as within a blink the two joined the raven-haired angel closest to me. They moved to leave the room but the brunette paused, which the others seemed to find most interesting.

“What is it, brother?”

He didn’t answer but turned to look directly at me. My breath caught and I felt an instinct in my soul scream at me. I ran, a soulless chuckle echoed off the walls as I fled. So caught in my own fear I ran straight into a solid mass and was caught in unmoving arms.

I looked up and saw the blond with his own expression of delight. I’d felt like a mouse being caught by the trap.

“Dove vai Tesoro?”

I gasped, my heart sped up. “What?”

I heard another chuckle near my ear. The last thing I saw was a flash of teeth before darkness.

I bolted up from my bed with a gasp. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. That was why I didn’t sleep, goddamn nightmares, and insomnia fuckin pills-

My traitorous mind flashed an image of the angelic beings and I shuddered. 

Sickened that I would be anything but disgusted by the display of violence I had witnessed, I resolved not to sleep for the rest of the week, both as a punishment and out of fear. No doubt I’d pass out at some point, but that didn’t count, I never dreamed then anyway.

\--IMMORTAL--

The three Volturi Kings sat upon their throats with a look of hunger in their eyes.

“Marcus was that-”

“Yes, Brother. Our mate.”

A chuckle came from the middle King and the blond slumped into his seat. 

The brunette muttered to himself “English. She speaks English.”

Caius scoffed “There are hundreds of countries that speak that language, and she may not even be in one of them-”

“Peace brothers, do not fret, we have waited this long, think that we would never find her, we must be patient. She will find us I feel.”

“Let us hope sooner rather than later.”

\--IMMORTAL--

The next few days I spent looking over the accounts for all 12 of the pharmacies in Forks and had frustratingly found nothing which aligned with the list of drugs and times that the Wilsons would have been getting them. It was frustrating especially since it could be because of a number of reasons, maybe the Wilson’s hadn’t had to pay, which made zero sense from a business standpoint, maybe they gave cash and it wasn’t kept off the pharmacies records, but that meant then that the pharmacies balance at the end of the night would be incorrect and so far I hadn’t found any discrepancies.

I snapped my computer shut and groaned. Shit shit shit shit shiiiiit! I was getting nowhere, and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why.

Deciding to take a break I drove to the shops and finally got around to buying Olly a helmet for my motorbike. I hesitated before picking up another one my size and buying it as well, just in case Charlie ever needed me to pick up Bella, I knew she had her truck but, better safe than sorry.

It did cross my mind that I was becoming rather attached to the people in this little town and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. That thought nearly made me laugh as my mind drifted back to the conversation I’d had with Bella.

Making a split-second decision after checking my watch, I headed to Bella’s high school and pulled up beside her truck just as the bell rang.

A few minutes later I saw her notice me, along with a group of kids who I assumed were her boyfriend's family. I dismounted and pulled off my helmet, before walking to meet them halfway.

“Hey Blue, what are you doing here?”

“I was driving past and figured you might consider going on a sightseeing trip with me. Forks is surrounded by beautiful trees and other... plants thought I’d offer.”

She snorts at my descriptive terminology and seemed about to answer me when the ginger beside her did it first.

“That’s nice of you but Bella has a ride and needs to get home.”

“No, I don’t.” Bella frowned taking a step closer to me

I raised an eyebrow unimpressed “Guessing you’re Edward.”

He ignored me in favour of Bella, “It’s not safe-” I pulled a face “-and she doesn't even have a helmet. What if you crash?”

I waved the two helmets that were in my hands rather obviously for the dumbass to see, before turning to Bella “Hey Bells, you don’t have too, Motorbikes aren’t for everyone, which is cool, but I thought I’d offer.”

“No I want to go, it sounds fun.” Before Edward could so much as frown in displeasure, Bella grabbed my elbow and led me back to my bike.

I helped her up on the bike and took the opportunity to stick my tongue out at Edward, who was still staring stoically, flanked by his siblings. Bella put on her helmet, and I got on in front of her, kicking off and smirking behind the viser at the visibly bothered boyfriend when she wrapped her arms tight around me. Controlling Idiot.

We sped out of the car park, I made sure to stay a few miles under the speed limit around the kids in case one decided to bolt across the road, but once we hit the road leading out of the town I picked up speed, even over the wind whipping past and the sound of the mother I was able to delight in the shrieks of laughter coming from behind me. _Oh yea, this was a good idea._

About an hour out of the town I slowed down to pull onto the rest spot that came off the edge of the road. 

“What are we doing?” Bella sounded as though she’d run the 62 miles when she pulled off the helmet to join me.

“Well, I’ve actually come here before, I took this road to head back to Seattle, and the last time I decided to do some sightseeing on the way back with Olly. You know the kid I mentioned?” She nodded “Well we found something cool, come on I’ll show you.”

She stumbled after me as I headed through the undergrowth, disappearing into the trees.

We walked for around ten minutes, longer than it actually took because Bella seemed content to stop every now and again to appreciate nature.

I heard a shocked gasp and turned in time to see a gecko shoot forward from under the log Bella had clearly just picked up, I snorted as Bella huffed at her own reaction. I was about to move on when I noticed the gecko settled amongst the laces of Bella’s boots.

“Um Bella, it’s on your shoe.”

I expected her to freak out and try fling it off. Instead, she turned to me without looking down and in a dead serious voice stated “His name is Harold Scamper and he’s my only friend.”

I scoffed “Well has your only friend shown you this?” I pulled back a fern and a waterfall came into view, it wasn’t that surprising since we had started to hear it almost immediately after entering the bush, but I appreciated Bella’s awed face all the same.

There was a body of water directly under the waterfall and stretching out a good while but to the right, it funnelled into a river that seemed to lead in that direction for a while, the river had big smooth stones breaking up its flow, and allowing passage to the other side.

We made it closer and the brunette turned to me with a cheeky look, “I dare you to make it all the way across the river without getting wet.”

“Only if you race me.”

I waited for Bella to gently remove the lizard and put it on top of her school bag, which she also removed, I dumped our helmets beside it and then we lined up. “Ready,” I called

“Go!” She took off with me right behind, Bella made it to the biggest rock first, but unfortunately for her, I was counting on that, I already knew that, whilst it was the biggest, the moss on it made it slimy and harder to stay on than the smaller ones. Without looking back I jumped to the next one, having to stand on one leg like a flamingo because of its size. Below us the water rushed at a fast rate, ready to pull us along.

“Wooow!” Bella had clearly found out how difficult it was to stay on slippery wet rocks.

I gave a quick check behind to make sure she was still alright before leaping to a bigger stone. Bella made it to the next one, and suddenly I was reminded that it was a race.

The river was quite wide, especially at the mouth and so we had only made it halfway before I misjudged the next jump and my foot slipped off the curved edge of the stone and I smacked my face into the stone falling under the water.

“Blue!”

The current was actually pretty strong and I became disoriented very quickly, I grabbed onto the first thing I could, part of a rock under the water, and opened my eyes to try and see which way was up. A hand came down in front of my face and grabbed my shirt roughly pulling me upwards.

I coughed up some water onto Bella as she jumped into the river beside me, unable to pull me onto the rock. “Jesus Christ Blue, are you alright?”

I gave a chuckle then started laughing, blood was smeared below my eye and I knew my lip was cut open, but the water was refreshing and the sun would dry us out quick enough, turning I threw a wave of water at Bella, soaking her immediately.

The current wasn’t as strong on the pond side of the rocks and once what I had just done registered in Bella’s eyes, a new game began.

I lost track of time as we played in the water, we went from splashing each other to seeing how long we could hold our breaths. Eventually, Bella’s lips started to turn blue and I figured it was time to get out.

I pulled her up and out of the water onto the bank and we stretched out letting the sun from the late afternoon dry us.

“I went to the school counsellor.”

“Oh?” I turned my head to see her properly, but when she stayed staring at the branches overhead I figured she preferred a little distance and resumed my original position.

“He said I’m lonely.”

“Do you think so?”

“No.” I waited for her to elaborate, “I’ve always been alone, my mother prefers adventure to hearing about how school went, and dads great but he’s got work and other things, I’ve always just been alone. It doesn't bother me, really, I think I like it most of the time, so no I didn’t think I was lonely.”

“But..” I pressed for what she wasn’t saying

“He also said similar to what you mentioned, that Edward showed me what it felt like to not be lonely, and just because I didn’t think I was doesn't mean I wasn’t. He thinks maybe I liked the new feeling but I just don't know how to get it from other people.”

“That sounds logical, do you agree?”

“I think I wanted a friend. But Angela and Mike and the others, they were my friends when I got here but it’s almost like they don’t mean as much to me so I assumed if I felt more for Edward then I must love him. But I feel that way for Alice too, and the other Cullens.”

I thought over what she’d told me, “Maybe it’s because they were outcasts, and you related, and empathised with them better, therefore you had a stronger connection with them than the other friends.”

“Maybe, I feel that connection with Jake though, my childhood friend from this place. He likes me more than a friend, I don’t like him like that.”

“That's good.”

“Is it.”

“Yes, because that’s what you should focus on, the things you are sure about. You don’t like him romantically, and even if he likes you that way, that's okay, so long as he recognises he isn't entitled to your feelings, just like Edward, you don’t owe this world anything Bella, it gives you opportunities which you get to decide if you want to take, and if halfway along the ride you think, ‘no this isn’t for me’, then you get off because you don’t have to stay for the whole trip, never think that you do, just because you said yes once, you can always say no later on.”

“You give some good advice, they teach you that in police school?”

I scoffed “Worldly knowledge my young padawan, comes with experience, and honestly I can talk you in circles with advice but the only way you will truly know how you feel, based on my own life, is by experiencing it, just do remember, at any point in time, you can say no. You hate a party you told your friends you would go to, then leave.”

I pulled her into a pathetic hug, my energy gone, more lying on her than anything. “You don’t owe anyone your discomfort kid.”

She scoffed “You’re like 10 years older than me.”

“That's more than half your life _kid_.”

After our heartfelt discussion, we were deemed dry enough to start heading back and collecting our stuff. I narrowed my eyes as the gecko scuttled up Bella’s shoe.

She looked guiltily at my face “What?”

“That thing better not splatter itself on my bike”

She gave a dramatic gasp “I would never let Harold ride on your bike.”

“Uh-huh.”

We made it out of the bush and I saw her slip her hand into her hoodie pocket followed by a flash of green.

\--IMMORTAL--

I dropped her off at her truck she turned to me before going in and held out her helmet.

“Nah, keep it, it’s a spare, you might need it again.” I didn’t tell her I’d bought it for her, that was probably creepy.

She smiled and went to enter, and I hesitated, I’d been meaning to talk to her about something but couldn’t find the right words. “Bella?”

“Yea?”

“Do you think that maybe… with what I know of you- I mean from what you've told me-”

“Blue, It’s alright, just say what you mean.”

“Do you think you might be depressed?” There was a pause and I hurriedly tried to explain myself “I mean, obviously we’ve only recently met, but I just think-”

“Carlisle thought so too.”

“Carlisle?”

“Edwards dad.”

“Is that a normal thing for your boyfriends’ dad to say?”

She half chuckled “Oh no, he’s a doctor. I saw him after I nearly got in a car accident and Edward saved me, he offered to get me some medication but I declined. If it is depression, I want to fight it without drugs, if possible.”

I had so many questions, Edward saved her from a car crash? His father is a doctor, who apparently offered someone he was looking over for physical injuries, drugs for a mental disorder after diagnosing her with said disorder. Is that even allowed, either way, a bit unorthodox? Deciding to let it go, for now, I nodded “Fair enough.”

Leaving it at that, I bid her goodnight and headed back to my apartment.

I made it in the door and dropped off a few files, briefly noting Olly was taking up residence in my bed tonight and setting a reminder to make some more scones, before heading out again. By now it was nearly 9 and Edward's father might not still be in the hospital, but for some reason what Bella had said was bothering me, and I knew even without the risk of dreaming I wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

I drove straight to the town’s hospital and dismounted, walking through the glass doors and up to the reception, once I was in front of the desk with a lady gazing expectantly up at me I realised I wasn’t sure what I was doing, I decided to trust myself and just see what happened.

“Hello ma’am, I was wondering if Doctor…” Shit, I frantically searched my memory for Edwards last name, “Cullen!... was available.” I gave her a sheepish look when I realised I’d been a bit too enthusiastic at remembering his name.

She checked her records “Yes, Doctor Cullen is free if you take a form and fill out what you need he will be with you shortly for a consultation.”

I took the paper and gazed down at it. What I was doing, I should just ask Dr Cullen my questions as the police officer I was, however, I didn’t know what I wanted to know, it was frustrating, and, glancing down at the sheet I realised, a little thrilling. Theoretically speaking it was a little unorthodox what I was intending to do, lying to a Dr could be construed as entrapment, but I wasn’t actually going to lie. I just wanted to see if he would do anything warranting suspicion. Decided, I put the pen to paper and began to fill it out.

Reason for visit: Possible Concussion

Cause: Smacked my head on a rock

See, no lying. If I was a normal person, I would be getting checked out anyway, just because I’m me and usually wouldn’t bother, means nothing.

A few minutes passed where I encountered a disgruntled nurse, who gave me a right talking to, apparently, she didn’t approve of Olly’s come and go attitude. I tuned her out, having no time nor patience to be reprimanded for the actions of another.

Thankfully Dr Cullen cut the lecture short, and giving a patient smile to the nurse, led me to his office. A single moment of shock graced his features when he first saw me but he quickly hid it and gestured for me to sit at the chair by his desk, which I did not. He raised an eyebrow and held out his hand for the form.

I handed it over and waited as he made a noise of understanding. “Alright Blue, I’m Dr Cullen. If you would like to sit on the bed I can examine if you would have a concussion or not.”

“Actually I’d rather not sit, I don’t like… sitting.”

He didn’t seem to mind and adapted to the strangeness easily enough, pulling out his penlight he went through the normal procedures. “It seems like you have a very mild concussion, it should come right by itself, but for the next 3 days I’d get someone to check on you when you sleep.”

Unnecessary if one does not sleep. “Thanks, Doc, am I allowed to ask something else?”

“Of course, feel free to inquire whatever you feel necessary.”

I paused, I was trying to see if this man would be willing to ‘prescribe’ drugs without the proper examination of a person. “My best friend has really bad diarrhoea, are you able to give me some medication for it so I can give it to her, you can just put it under my name?” Well, there goes the no lying.

He seemed to take a moment to process what I’d just said “No I’m sorry, she will have to come to me herself, Hospital policies you understand.”

I frowned but covered it quickly “Yes of course, um what about me? I’m here.” 

“Yes if you need medication and I deem it necessary, I can give it to you.”

“I’ve been feeling really down lately. I think I’m depressed, that's actually why I smacked my head on the rock, I’m constantly doing reckless things, I think I need something to help...” Sometimes I just wanted to smack myself in the face.

He slowly lowered himself into the chair previously offered to me. “That's a pretty serious thing to say. Have you spoken to anyone else about this?”

“No.”

“I’m afraid I’m not allowed to prescribe medication of that nature, without a second opinion, a Psychiatrist or even a note from G.P.” He turned behind him and grabbed a piece of paper scribbling a name and number, “This is a psychologist who I highly recommend, talk to someone and if you feel you need medication to help you, get them to prescribe it.” I gave a smile in thanks and took the paper, letting him show me out. 

Well, that was a bust. 

I couldn’t fault the guy for anything, honestly, he seemed really nice and respectful. I decided to let it go and kicked off on my bike going for a few rides around the city, from all my late-night riding I probably knew the town better than most the locals by now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dove vai tesoro? - Where are you going darling?


	4. Chapter 4

My mind went over the interaction with Dr Cullen, again and again. I still couldn't find anything that should in any way indicate he was anything but a kind-hearted man except that something felt off, and over my lifetime I'd learnt to trust my instincts.

It could be the strange things I'd noticed about all the Cullens, no matter how briefly I’d seen Bella's boyfriend and his siblings, it was near impossible to miss the amber eyes, odd, I'd never heard of a genetic condition which causes that, but even though strange, eye colour didn't really prove anything.

"Hey Bouncy Borange!"

I scoffed "Borange? That's terrible, not even a word, try harder."

Olly ignored my teasing and instead pulled himself onto the front of my bike, which I had parked outside my apartment and had been sitting on for the last hour.

"Where are we going Bluffel?"

"Would it kill you to say Blue?"

Upon receiving only a cheeky grin in response I grabbed the helmet hanging off the back and shoved it onto his head. "That's it squirt. For that, I'm taking you to the chief's house and we're gonna see about getting you into school."

"Nooo-" His protest was muffled by the helmet and it was my turn to grin as we took off.

He gave half-hearted complaints as we made it up the path of the Swan's residence but I knew if he really didn't want to be there he wouldn't have been.

"Ding Dong." Olly sang it with a happy giggle

Charlie opened the door looking tired and a little surprised.

I immediately felt bad. "Sorry Chief forgot, normal people, ring, I was hoping I could talk about education for the kid?"

"Oh no that's fine, come in."

We made our way into the lounge and Charlie called out to Bella while he went to get a few biscuits.

Bella popped her head down and broke into an awkward smile when she saw us.

"Hey Blue." She nodded at Olly "You must be Oliver."

He puffed out his chest and stuck out his arm in greeting, "Yes, what's your name?"

"I'm Bella."

"Hello, Ballerina."

She turned to me with a confused look. 

“Best not to fight it.” I muttered.

She nodded "It was nice seeing you two, but I'm afraid I'm heading out to see Edward. I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah sounds good, wanna come over on Thursday?"

She hesitated "Um actually, I mean I'd love too but I think Alice is making me celebrate my birthday at theirs on Thursday..."

"That's cool, I didn't know it was your birthday."

"Yeah, I don't really advertise it." She gave an awkward laugh

Olly interjected "How old are you gonna be? I just had my birthday. I'm eight years old."

"Umm 18-"

She looked very uncomfortable with that fact so I decided to save her from whatever it was and changed the topic, "You could come over sometime the next week, whenever you want."

She visibly brightened "Actually I think I'd like to come over the day after. It's okay with you two?"

Olly seemed to like that he was being asked for permission as well, declaring his opinion "Yes, you can come over. I'll make blueberry pancakes for your birthday."

I snorted "That means I'll be making them."

Olly nodded

Bella gave a smile "That sounds nice, I'll be there. Oh, where is your apartment?"

"Ah right." I looked around for some paper to write my address and reached for the sheet I found only to be attacked by a blur of green. "What the fuc-!"

Bella laughed, before picking the lizard off my shirt. I snatched the paper with a huff and scribbled the address which Bella pocketed and said her goodbyes leaving, just as her father came back with a biscuit to hand her.

I tried not to notice the way Olly's eyes lit up upon seeing the Gecko, I did not need those two together.

We spent the rest of the morning working out how to proceed and eventually with input from Olly we decided on keeping him out of school for the rest of the semester as it was nearly summer break anyway and he wouldn't be missing much. After that, I’d look into enrolling him in Forks Primary School.

I dropped him off at his entrance to his forest- kingdom on the way home, declining the invitation to play. Not that I didn’t want to, but the lack of cases and more importantly any successful leads for the last few weeks was grating on me and I don't want to be in a foul mood around the kid, he deserved better.

That's how I found myself once again staring at scribbles on aged paper and trying to translate the stupid text. It had well gone into the night but the time I let out a triumphed yell and looked over my full translated page.

From a single read-through, I could tell it was more of a personal account from a bystander of events than actual facts, still, it seemed to be Primary evidence, which was rare for something so old. My eyes lingered on a few of the more interesting paragraphs, they were written less poetically than the other account but no less beautiful.

_The sight of the Angelic beast inspired fear in me, the one with hair black as night strode before the others with a crazed look in his eyes, only the blond appeared to see through it. I for one knew not what lay underneath the madness only that he walked the streets of Volterra with eyes searching for trouble._

_All of us knew of Diydme’s loss to the Volturi. The blond seemed volatile before she was taken from them, now he appeared a friend in comparison to the other Kings, I feared for the future with every passing day._

_We in Volterra knew of their differences, their blood-red eyes and angelic-features, I knew in my heart they were gods among men, and all men run when a god grieves, I chanted every night, praying the angels would not turn their wrath upon us. I should not fear, the Volturi do not harm the people of Volterra, still, I do. Red eyes haunt my dreams and lurk in the corners of the day._

It was utterly fascinating, and finally I had a location, Volterra I was pleased to know I had been right about that. The Volturi seemed to refer to the demi-gods, and they resided or had done so, in the city of Volterra. I knew one day for sure I would visit the city, my curious heart would never allow me to rest if I did not. For now, I packed up the papers and called it a night.

\--IMMORTAL--

Caius paced back and forth ignoring Marcus’s comment about wearing holes until eventually, he left to pace in the privacy of his own space. His mind kept bringing up memories from the past times of conquest and heartbreak.

While Didyme had been Aro’s sister and Marcus’s closest friend she had never been more than something akin to a distant relative for Caius, yet, when she disappeared he saw the powerful coven fall into disorder. The Romanian’s temporarily took over and it was the worst few years of Caius’s life, dead and undead.

It had broken his unseen heart to witness the utter apathy from his mate Marcus, and Aro hid his sorrow well with his games, but Caius was always in-tune with his mates and he felt their heartbreak as keenly as if it had been his own.

In those years he had taken over most of the duties within the castle and had schemed and plotted strategies to re-assume control of the vampire world, it had been his own way to help his soul brothers. He hated the feeling of helplessness that had plagued him every time he saw Marcus’s lifeless body gazing out at nothing and so he had resolved to distract himself and avenge the Volturi in the only way he could, by showing everyone that an incident like Didyme would never occur again.

While Caius had searched himself for the killer he found nothing and never pursued the case knowing his mates had done so more thoroughly themselves, in fact, it seemed to be the only thing keeping Aro’s sanity in check during that dark time.

However, after One thousand and four hundred years had passed Caius led the standoff between the Romanian and Volturi covens, emerging victorious. It was the first day in as many years that Marcus joined Caius in his art room. He had said nothing and Caius did not press, but they both understood at that moment there would be more to their eternity than Didyme’s death.

Aro took longer to draw out, it wasn’t until another 400 years had passed that he found something that interested him more than the suffering of lawbreakers. Two young twins, Alec and Jane, stood accused of witchcraft and were burned at the stake by their own village, Aro knew they were special and he had felt a connection to something for the first time in years, prompting him to save the twins and bring them into the Vampire world.

It wasn't the same as before, Marcus still held a touch of melancholy and Aro’s madness he hid behind, wasn’t always just a shield, neither was Caius’s rage, but based on those traits of weakness, the Kings carved out the views of those who did not know them, they encouraged the rumours letting others deceive themselves with their own ignorance.

The Volturi moved on, the tragedy of Didyme was never forgotten, but the rulers of the Vampire world knew the need for their form of order. They had been around when no one coven enforced the laws when there had been no laws, it was Aro who had realised Vampire kind would not survive without structure and it was Aro who found Caius and Marcus to help him bring their world to order.

The Romanian’s always despised the laws, when they had ruled from 1000BC to 400AD there had been chaos and from it, many stories of Vampires too close to the truth for the Volturi, so, years later they injected their own information misleading the masses, something they were always quite good at.

Aro and Marcus never forgot Caius’s leadership during those years and they better than anyone understood the cunning strategist behind the impulsive tyrant others saw. It was important as mates that they each knew and understood one another's masks, unfortunately as each year passed they lost hope of finding their last piece, understanding they may have lived and died a mortal life before finding their way to them.

It was a tragic thought but one that became more realistic as the days passed, nearing the 21st century they had all but accepted it, so the sudden link into the dream of their mate had been a shock for them all. Aro and Marcus seemed content to let fate play out, but after years of believing fate had screwed them over, Caius was… afraid.

It was jarring to realise that fear was what he had been feeling and the realisation caused him to curse himself. It was ridiculous to fear for something that could not be helped and he hated that once Aro touched him he would know of the weakness immediately.

Caius promptly banished the thought, Aro had never once thought him weak and his mates knew better than anyone what he was feeling. Resolved, Caius turned to seek out his brothers, he needed them now and he knew they would be waiting.

\--IMMORTAL--

The day after Bella’s birthday Olly and I spent the entire morning setting up various coloured balloons and party decorations. We’d decided on purple and green since I didn’t actually know her favourite colour, a fact Olly found appalling.

What I Didn't expect when Bella called out “Ding Dong” Was to see the older kid barely holding it together, as though not wanting to disappoint us, which just wouldn’t do.

Olly never one to mess around cut straight to it. “You’re going to cry.”

Bella looked startled at the calling out and I was quick to interject, pulling the younger girl onto my single bed and ordering Olly to fetch the party food.

To what I imagined was Bella’s mortification tears did escape her and she silently shook. Olly clambered in front of us both and presented the treasured food in an offering, no doubt his attempts to stop the crying.

“Thank you,” Bella gave a watery laugh and quickly dried her eyes, “I’m sorry it’s just something happened at Edward’s yesterday and he’s been really standoffish since I think he’s going to end it.”

“The relationship?” I clarified, relaxing after she nodded. I knew she didn’t need to hear any words of ‘it's for the best’ or ‘you’re better off without him’ and instead decided to distract her so she could at least enjoy some part of her birthday.

“Well I bet he’s not as much fun as pin the hat on the gnome.”

“What?”

Olly lit up and excitedly jumped off the bed to get the game.

“It was Olly’s idea after he grilled me on all your favourite things so we could plan accordingly, he thought you’d like the gnome because you like Romeo and Juliet… Apparently he’s seen that movie.”

“That's actually really sweet.”

Olly came back in time to hear the praise and practically glowed with pride, “See I told you she would like it Buzzy bee.”

“Uh-huh, well don’t keep her waiting, you’d better show us how to do it.”

Happy with his new task Olly demonstrated spinning himself around complete with my angelfish socks covering his eyes, and successfully knocking over every single book on my coffee table in the process.

I winced as they went crashing to the floor and Olly paused long enough to shoot a guilty look into the air before re-assuming his loud narration of the rules.

The rest of the night went by in much the same fashion, but I didn’t mind the mess, it wasn’t like my apartment was particularly tidy, to begin with, and before Olly had even gotten onto the second game, Bella was already letting her competitive side out.

The two of them crashed over for the night and I made sure to text Charlie, before writing an email to Depika and letting her know all the updates on the case, which wasn’t much before I settled against the bench and finally let my consciousness fade.

I awoke to Olly already gone, along with all the muffins I’d baked, and Bella lazily throwing broken balloon bits at me.

I groaned “Whaaaaat?”

She only laughed before stretching and going to the door, “Thought you’d appreciate being woken before I left, I’m heading to try and talk to Edward, hopefully, get some kind of answer. Thanks for last night, Olly's pretty cool too.”

“Thanks for coming. Oh and Bella, give that ginger a kick up the ass if he’s still being a dick, yea?”

“I’ll definitely consider it.”

She closed the door behind her and for that I was thankful, it was nice she considered waking me, but true to my promise I’d not slept properly, well properly for me, since a week before, so lying back on the floor I slipped back into my unconsciousness.

\--IMMORTAL--

I must have been out for a while because I woke again to dark skies and my phone blaring. I picked it up, “Hello?”

“Blue thank god!” It was Charlie, and he sounded really stressed, which was odd for him “Bella, she was supposed to be home for dinner, but she hasn’t returned, I don’t know where she is, she’s not picking up her phone. Everyone's out looking for her. Is she with you? Please tell me she’s with you.”

I was suddenly wide awake, “No I’m sorry Charlie, I only saw her this morning, she said she was going to talk things out with Edward-” I pulled on my shoes and grabbed a coat. “Hold on Charlie I’m gonna search the forest, she might be there, Edward and Bella apparently go for walks around his house, I'd start looking there-”

“-I’ve got the police and some of the boys for the Quileute tribe searching there, they haven't found her, but please, if you think you can help, do.”

“I’ll try some other spots then, don’t worry Charlie, we’ll find her.”

With the new information, my first choice was to find someone who knew where to hide.

“Olly!, Olly!”

“Blurry, are you okay?”

“Hey, kid Bella’s gone missing, have you seen her?”

He shook his head rapidly, “No sorry.”

I cursed “Okay if you do find her-” I pulled out my phone and handed it to him, it was more likely he’d find her anyway.

He took it and looked about to go searching when he paused “Do you think she might be at the waterfall? You said you had fun there remember?”

“Holy fuck, you’re right kid. Thanks!” I bolted, yelling the words over my shoulder and hurried to leave the kids kingdom, not stopping running to mount my bike, causing me to wobble slightly before speeding off.

I managed to make it to the entrance in 40 minutes, definitely breaking the speed limit, terrible for a member of the force, but it was pitch black now and I was worried, so frankly I didn’t care about any reprimands I might get.

I stumbled through the branches, feeling them snag my clothes more than I remembered, it almost felt like the very trees were trying to stop me.

I pulled back the familiar fern, thanks to the starlight was able to see the outline of Bella, huddled where we had previously bathed in the sun.

“Bella?” I called out, not wanting to startle her.

She didn’t react at all and it made me nervous. I approached her cautiously but sped up once I saw her state. I knew what this was, she was in a catatonic state, it was horrifying to see, I’d seen it in textbooks and on the news but never in person.

“Jesus Christ Bella, what the hell happened?”

She didn’t answer and I hadn’t expected her to. Checking her pulse just to be sure, I then crouched down and picked her up bridal style. The trees seemed to almost part for me now I was holding her, and the journey to my bike was easy enough, it was once I’d reached it that I found the problem.

Unfortunately, I’d left my phone with Olly and couldn’t risk leaving her to get help so shedding my coat I wrapped it around her shivering form, trying not to focus on her, once again, blue lips, I used the arms to secure her to myself, seating her in front of me like I would Olly, and I drove to take her to the hospital, this time at a slower speed, but no less urgently. 

Once I’d made it through the doors she was surrounded by medical staff and whisked away, I was reminded of a similar time when I’d brought a different kid to the hospital, and the same level of exhaustion crept up on me. Remembering Charlie I borrowed the hospital's phone and called him, letting him know I’d found Bella and where she was, then I called my phone next letting Olly know his new friend was safe.

By the time Charlie had arrived I had pulled myself together and found Bella's room, unfortunately, the hospital staff refused to tell me anything, which I understood but I still hated.

Charlie went straight in and after a good few minutes came out to let me know she was alright. “Bells is gonna be fine, the Dr says she’s suffered from some kind of shock and rapid change in temperature, they also said something about connections between the ‘dorsolateral prefrontal cortex’ and the ‘default mode network’ which frankly Blue I’ve no idea what that means.”

He looked far worse than me, I gave him a tired smile, “It's probably medical Gargan for the same stuff you just said, they like to do that.”

He nodded accepting the reasoning and bid me goodnight with a thank you before going back in the room, that was my Que to leave, but for a few moments, I stayed standing frozen in the hall. Despite what I’d said to Charlie, I did, in fact, know what that meant. _Connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the default mode network._ The words rang in my head. I'd done my thesis on it for my Psychology paper. I used it to highlight how Physiology is a direct link to Psychology, in short, the connections were found in people under hypnosis.

I stared at the closed door as if it would provide the answers I wanted. For the first time, I didn’t want another mystery.

Giving the room a final look, I turned and left, stopping only once at the reception to ask where Dr Cullen was, I intended to drag some answers out of him while I was there, only to find he had resigned earlier that day. What was going on?

I took a long way home and was unsurprised to find the younger kid curled up in my sheets. I was unfortunately wide awake, so I opted to shower and rinse off the short, but stressful day.

\--IMMORTAL--

Unfortunately, the following few weeks shed no more light on any of the mysteries I had stumbled into by entering this town. Bella was released within a day, but after visiting her I found she seemed to be in a rather depressive state, Olly, Charlie and I did what we could but no one can bring someone out of depression and I suspected Bella had always had a dormant or mild form of the mental disorder, the abrupt departure and cutting words of her boyfriend and his family had, I suspected, opened the floodgates.

I was understandably furious with the Cullens, especially the prick Edward and if I ever saw him again you’d be damn sure I was going to give him a piece of my mind.

Unfortunately as much as I loved Bella, Olly seemed to be getting more and more frustrated, I think at himself rather than her for his inability to cheer her up and he couldn’t quite comprehend why he was failing, so I took matters into my own hands and decided to keep them apart for a while. Which left me rather busy entertaining the kid and checking in on Bella.

The first month was definitely the hardest for her, and by extension Charlie, I knew the guy worked hard and had heard she was constantly waking up with nightmares. I offered my place, so I could keep an eye on her. Charlie refused at first, not wanting to push her on me and also wanting to care for her as her father, but after assuring him my sleeping was erratic at best anyway and he was no less a fantastic dad for needing his rest, he caved.

So the second month was spent at mine, which I rarely left aside from visits to Olly, who Charlie had decided was going to be sleeping in Bella’s bed, as mine was now occupied, and to follow leads, which had run dry at this point anyway.

So I was able to be there for Bella when she just needed to shake and have an am around her, or when she didn’t want any physical contact but liked the company. I bought a few plants from the shop at Olly's suggestion, and for the first time, I saw her do something other than stare into the distance.

Seeing the plants helped her. I began to incorporate new things into her routine. It went, nightmare, shaking, internally berating herself, which I could definitely see she was fooling no one, then staring into the distance, mindlessly eating and watering her plants.

I added in a walk halfway through the month and was glad when she started to look, rather than stare, into the distance, even if it was to watch her stupid lizard crawl all over my furniture.

Near the end of the month, I noticed her looking at my bike and the next day I saw the biggest change in her. She bought a couple of old bikes and after asking me to take her to her truck, she loaded them on with some help and told me she was going to fix them up with Jacob.

It was a big relief, and the days following gave back a bit more of the old Bella each day, I was incredibly thankful that Jacob was able to help her, and made sure to let Charlie know the update, poor guy’s heart probably couldn’t take too much more stress.

Due to this and my own restlessness I’d made a decision. Well, I had volunteered an Idea which Charlie had okayed and Olly seemed enthusiastic for, it was just Bella I had to break it too before we could go ahead.

I decided the best approach with Bella was just saying what I wanted straight up, thankfully sugar coating anything had never been my style, so that day I invited her back to my apartment, as she’d moved back in with her dad once her nightmares had gotten back under control, she roomed with Olly now, apparently, that was a thing, I was a little fearful but never questioned it.

I decided not to invite Charlie or Olly with Bella, not wanting her to feel pressured into agreeing if she didn’t want too, but I did make some attempt at dinner in a half-attempt to win her over.

She of course pointed it out immediately. “Trying to impress me?”

Honestly, the lasagna was a disaster, as I was terrible at taking care of myself let alone others, still, I had tried. “Yes- I’m mean no. Kind of?”

She grabbed a jug and went to water the plants she’d left in the windowsill. A shot of green landing on my bed made me protest.

“Hey don’t bring that thing in here!”

“You’re trying to change the topic.”

“I’m not- I just-” Sighing I gave in, sitting with my back against the kitchen counter in a familiar position I waited for her to join her scaly friend on the couch before spitting it out. “I’ve finally translated those historical records, you remember the ones?”

“The ones you stole with Olly?”

“I didn’t steal them… exactly. The Captain said I could have them.” She only raised an eyebrow at that so I continued on “-Anywaaay the point is from what I’ve found I need to start looking in different parts of the world if I’m ever going to find out what happened, Italy to be specific-”

“-So you’re leaving?” She had a carefully guarded look on her face which sort of broke my heart a little.

“The Captain said I was free to travel so long as I keep up with my workload, which is currently empty anyway… I need to get away Bella, I can’t be still for long, I’m just not used to it, I’ve nearly been here a year already and I’ve only taken on two cases in that year, I need the stimulation.”

“I understand.”

I pursed my lips “So I talked to Charlie, and Olly’s keen for an adventure, besides you’re recklessness has not been subtle, I've noticed and so has your father, he’s actually pretty observant. I thought you might like a bigger adventure than whatever thrill you get from a single motorbike ride, sooo…”

“Wait.” She looked dumbfounded “You’re asking me to come along?”

I pulled a face “Unfortunately it seems I’ve grown quite attached to you. and there is no way I’d be able to ditch the midget so he’ll be coming too, think you can handle it?”

I found my answer when she launched herself at me for a brief hug before she pulled back excitement lighting up behind her eyes. “God yes! Thank you Blue, this it- it’s exactly what I need.”

“Well I have a shit tone of cash I need to blow anyway, being a high-end detective, who never buys anything, means we can do whatever you guys want and I got it covered.”

“Oh you don’t have to pay for it I had a job I can help out-”

I laughed “Relax Bells, I talked to your dad remember, he’s chipping in a little and he called your mum she’s donating, and I was serious I do have a lot of money I’m never going to use-” seeing her uncomfortable face I caved “-but if you insist, you’re welcome to contribute to the food.”

She ran her hands through her hair, a tick I’d seen her do when she was nervous or excited, I had a feeling in this instance it was both. “Thank you so much, Blue!” She gave me an awkward high-five before racing out the door with a quick yell, “I’m gonna go tell Jacob!”

“Okay,” I muttered before a thought hit me, and I stared down at the creature on my bed with a grimace. “Hey, Bella! you forgot… Harold.”

I gingerly picked up a plastic container and approached the bed I attempted to put the container over it but it moved with an inhumane speed right before I did. I let out a yelp and cringed back. “Ew okay, right gross.” shaking off the shiver I picked up the container and tried again only for it to dart off the bed and scurry along the floor. “Motherfuck-”

I spent the rest of the evening attempting to catch the blasted thing with little success, resulting in another sleepless night.

\--IMMORTAL--

I’d packed all the things I needed by the morning, into a single backpack and my satchel was filled with my papers and other gear for work. I had also packed another smaller bag with clothing I’d accumulated over the months that fit the kid, most of it had come from his old schools lost and found, which they had kindly donated, but Olly’s favourite jumper had been purchased by Sammy from the station. It was denim and zipped like a normal jumper but had extra pieces of fabric at the top like lapels, I made sure to include it.

Charlie told Bella we were leaving the next day so she spent the morning packing, and Olly and I went over to help. I did have to insist she couldn’t bring all her books and eventually won her over with the reasoning that she wouldn’t be needing to read so much if we were doing fun activities like rock climbing instead.

It was midday when Charlie dropped us off at the airport. Unfortunately, I’d have to sacrifice something for the trip as well, my motorbike would be staying at the station until we got back.

I knew getting through customs would be a nightmare and Olly constantly taking every opportunity to point out how long it was taking, did not help matters. Eventually, he just decided that instead of walking he would cartwheel everywhere. Bella had looked like she was about to stop him but their time shared sleeping together must have opened her eyes on how Olly worked and she let him be.

Finally, we got through onto the plane and with Bella insisting on the window seat I found myself settled between them.

“Where are we heading to first? You said Italy but not where.”

I pulled out the paper I had made, complete with a fantastically drawn map and pointed to one of the dots I’d plotted. “Cagliari, the oldest city in Italy. It’s originally where the people that moved to Volterra are from.”

“Volterra?”

“Yeah It’s our last stop. I got this case through a first-person recount of someone witnessing god-like beings, it placed them in Italy, I found another account several hundred years later, where they were placed in Volterra, I believe they called themselves the Volturi”

“Was the other account in first person?”

“I nodded yes, I know, kind of far-fetched obviously, hundreds of years apart, they couldn’t be talking about the same thing right? but I’ve always been open to the supernatural, not that I think that’s what this is… but it’s a start.”

She looked troubled with the new information but I quickly forgot after remembered what I had been meaning to do before, and reached into my pocket pulling out a small plastic container containing one scaly creature. 

“Harold!”

“Yeah, you left the little devil last night, thought you’d miss him.”

“Hey, don’t hate the Gecko.”

“Uh-huh, just keep it away from me and we’re cool”

She grinned but did as I said, putting it away in her bag once she confirmed I’d picked a hole for air. The rest of the plane ride was uneventful, with Olly engaged in a movie playing on the back of his seat and Bella captivated by the view, I leaned back and closed my eyes, letting rest catch up to me.

\--IMMORTAL--

We decided to go to a few museums first, for education purposes, Olly seemed to love asking all the questions to anyone around him, thankfully everyone in Italy seemed really nice and a bonus was we had all begun to pick up some Italian.

I knew a fair bit of Latin from my translations and medical knowledge, so it came a little easier for me, still, Bella was nothing if not dedicated and we made a few trips to the library to get her some books, which she read up on at night and practised with people she met during the day. I knew in a way it was a bit of a fear rush for her to engage with a stranger as much as riding a roller coaster might have been, all in all, it was fun.

After that, I loosened my reins a bit and left Bella to her practising and Olly’s soaking up of knowledge, and I found myself asking the museums to look at their available records. It was a good system and by the time Olly had absorbed knowledge from all the displays in the museum I had read all I could find on the Romanian Coven that occupied part of Cagliari back when it was Callaris, during the middle-ages, which was coincidental during the time the Volturi was said to have lost power.

I wasn’t sure exactly what a coven was, nor what it meant by losing power, but I now went by the assumption that a coven referred to a group of the god-like beings and, probably the fact they were believed to be ‘gods’ was what the records meant by power. More and more I was suspecting that I was learning about cult behaviour spanning centuries and beginning millennia ago, it was fascinating if not a little disturbing.

At the end of our first week in Italy I decided we should change it up and I excitedly waved three tokens in their sleepy faces.

“What’s that?” Olly mumbled it around his fork and I smirked.

“Why Pumpkin, it’s your very own pass to a private instructor course on cliff jumping.”

“I’m not a Pumpkin.”

“Wait really?” Bella looked wide-eyed

“Yep, Jacob gave me a heads up that he saw you eyeing some friends of his doing it, and I dunno, wanted me to make sure you didn’t?”

She gave a startled laugh “So you paid to let me?”

I grinned “Obviously. And no. I paid to get someone to teach us how to do it without hurting ourselves.”

“You’re the best.”

I agreed “That’s true.”

Olly snagged the toast from my pate and with it bolted for the door, “So what are we waiting for!?”

“Hold your horses kid, we’re coming, we’re coming.”

Frankly, I knew I was just as excited, so when I stood on the edge of the cliff and peered down at the water I was entirely unprepared for the sudden burst of fear, especially because I never had a fear of heights before.

“You scared Bumpkin?”

I glanced back at Olly and gave a stern look “Don’t even think about jumping from here Olly it is far too high for you.”

He looked outraged at the comment and I only just managed to hide my smirk.

“You can’t do that!”

“Sure I can-” I stuck up my chin with fake arrogance “I’m the boss, cause I’m the oldest.” I finished it with mock pity and was about to complete my act when a mass of brown locks pulled me over the edge. “B-ella!”

We hit the water quite far apart due to the long way down separating us, but as I broke the top for air I couldn’t hope to even pretend to be annoyed, the rush from the jump was still running in my veins and I started laughing. I was a terrible actor anyway.

The moment was bettered when a terrified scream descended followed by another splash and Olly joined us, treading water he was quick to demand another go, which quickly turned into two more, then three, apparently he was determined to go the whole way at least once without screaming.

By dusk we were stretched out on the sandy beach drying, I was reminded of the time several months ago when Bella and I had played by the waterfall. It was a good memory and I knew this one would be too.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a pretty big chapter dedicated to incubusinmykitty and loviastie my lovely commenters.

* * *

Carlisle glanced at his wife with concern as Alice shared her latest vision with their family. 

“Bella has gone with that detective girl to Italy and they will go to Volterra. I saw them meet the Volturi… Carlisle you were right, she is their mate. Their last missing piece.”

Carlisle knew his family itched to do something and he was even more aware that if Edward wasn’t currently separated from the coven and had heard the news of Bella meeting the Volturi, he would be on a plane in an instant, unfortunately, Carlisle also knew it was far riskier to attempt to actively prevent the Volturi from meeting their mate than it was to simply let the union occur.

A bigger problem lay in his mind than the thought of the Volturi becoming more powerful. Carlisle had met Blue, he had met her and in her memories, Aro would see that Carsiele had kept their mate from them, actively or not.

Carlisle had made an active decision upon first meeting the girl to not inform the Kings of her existence or whereabouts, it was not done out of malice but rather his desire to allow the girl a life of freedom rather than the no doubt servitude she would endure under their rule. Unfortunately, the decision went against the most sacred of their laws and if Aro noticed the deception within his mates memories, there would be little that could save him.

\--IMMORTAL--

“Have you ever been in love?”

I paused in the middle of my gelato to give Bella a sidelong look. When she didn’t elaborate I shrugged, “Nope. I mean I loved my mother, but you mean romantically-” I raised an eyebrow “Have you meet me… yikes”

She said nothing else and I went back to eating while keeping an eye on Olly, who had decided to go play in the fountain. It had gotten pretty hot since we moved on from Cagliari to Milan, a city Bella had asked to go to, she wanted to see the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana Classics fan that she was. The point of the holiday was to get both Olly and Bella a breath of fresh air and do some mystery-solving so I saw no problem with the decision. 

I hadn’t had much luck fishing anything more suspicious in my papers, aside from supernatural-like beings and strange timeframes I had nothing to go on. Olly was trying to convince me the beings described as alluring and other-worldly were in fact Aliens, Bella definitely didn’t help this after she watched a two-hour space documentary with him one night, and if I was being honest with myself, after re-reading some of the descriptions I wasn’t dismissing it outright.

“I thought you’d have a partner?”

Huh? Oh, love, right. I flicked my tongue over the iced treat as I thought on how to answer her, “I mean I probably could…”

“You don’t want love?”

“No, it’s not that, more. I’m in absolutely no position to have the standards I have and yet.” I gave her a what can you do gesture, but she only narrowed her eyes. Obviously, about to comment again, I cut across hoping to kill the uncomfortable topic, “Love is a losing game, everyone wants to play but no one ever wins and like monopoly, it always ends in tears.”

She left it at that and I pretended not to see the realisation in her eyes, and instead agreeing that the sky was beginning to darken and we went to collect Olly. Tomorrow we'd go to Bella’s library, Olly seemed rather keen as well, which I found a little strange but brushed it off.

\--IMMORTAL--

I woke up bright and early to 4 new emails all from Depika. Guess that meant they were going to the Library without me.

Turns out another case had come to the Seattle police, a boy just turned 18 had ‘gone missing’ technically the kid hadn’t been gone long enough for the report to have been filed, but one look at his profile and I knew why it had. ‘Ginger’, ‘male’, 5.7 foot’ and ‘just turned 18’, not to mention lived in the shitter side of Seattle, a quick flick through the other documents showed that he had already been to juvie for participating in the excessive bullying of a young girl who went on to take her life. It was definitely scarily similar to the M.O of the Washington Wonka.

I’d been following the case since I had first read a report two years back, at the time only one kill had been found. A young boy; Fred Moats, brunette, and 4.7 foot. He was found positioned sitting on a bucket leaning against a tree. The cause of death had been an overdose of xanthine alkaloid theobromine, the chemical was found in coco and some muscle relaxers. His death was ruled as a crime of passion, with most of the officers on the case fine with believing some sicko had pumped the kid full of drugs and arranged him after he'd died.

The case had never sat well with me and I had opened it up again and again until I realised why. The Bucket... Freddie... eleven years old- and the kicker, xanthine alkaloid theobromine, it was most commonly used in chocolate, found in the very part of chocolate that caused the treat unable to be eaten by our four-legged friends.

I had run to Derek, fully expecting to be told to drop an already closed case and instead the chief had listened as I explained my theory, it was a long shot at best, but I had known in my gut something wasn't right. The methodical position of the child to get his legs carefully under the bucket handle and settled on top of it like one of those kiddy swings, compared to the sheer malice and untamed rage that must have come from force-feeding a child chocolate until they died, it was disconcerting, to say the least, and I very much doubted it would be a one-time thing.

That day Derek and I came to an unspoken understanding, I had seen in his eyes on several occasions the desire for certain cases to get more time, different eyes, so they could have a chance at justice, however time and time again, he had to grit his teeth and play nice, just so he would still be around to fight other battles. Fortunately for him, my mother had never told me to pick my battle,s and I wanted them all.

I hated the courts, it was long tedious and devoid of the emotional purpose my detective work gave me yet, I sucked it up and with Derek backing me I had petitioned to re-open the case, it gained me a fair few enemies within my own department and that same month the department shrank half its size. Two weeks later another 11-year old was found and the judge reopened the case.

It had been my personal baby for those two years, I’d worked with a few different officers on it, obviously, I never did the door to door knocking, but I checked facts and followed the field workers by paper, I’d made a profile on the killer. With a psychology degree, I could legally say I believed the killer had a complex which revolved around the Roald Dahl story, Charlie and the Chocolate factory, I suspected it was some sort of form of schizophrenia or mania, where the killer wasn’t aware of his own reality and was attempting to get a form of control over his life, by finding those within the story.

Fred Moats was a brunette like Charlie Bucket, the same age and average height for an eleven-year-old, the bucket spoke for itself, as did the chocolate, however it was the name which had tipped me off. Fred. Why Fred, I’d thought long and hard until it hit me, and with a quick google search I had confirmed that the actor who played Charlie Bucket was called Freddie Highmore, another merging with fiction and reality.

The second kid found, was a girl with hair really similar to mine in colour, icy-white and cropped to just below her ears, she had suffocated on helium and her name had been a dead giveaway, Violet. Unfortunately, the media caught wind of the murders and the odd aspects to them and had taken to calling the killer the Washington Wonka. Derek hated it, mostly because it was a name the press would run as a serial killer when the culprit was not, technically speaking, a serial killer.

I hated it because from the moment I heard it, it became harder and harder to picture a sick man murdering children in an attempt to find reality, and it became a twisted version of a character everyone loved, like those punk Disney punk edits, not inherently dark or evil just misunderstood. I thought Fred and Violet may have disagreed.

Three more bodies were found over the next year, but they were all timed so unlike the serial killers the police were used to, most serial killers tended to do, well, serial kills, murdering from 3 to 7 on average within a few months then disappearing for a while and popping up again later on to repeat the pattern. The Washington Wonka wasn’t like that, Wonka killed once then nothing for months and then out of the blue another hit. 

The three kills spread out over the twelve months were different from the first two. So different that I had considered a copy-cat, after all, Wonka had gathered quite the following. But looking again I realised why they had so suddenly changed their M.O, going from 11-year old character look-alikes to ginger 18-year-olds. Oompa Loompas.

After the news that day, I didn’t look at it again. The media had called the kills his casting of the Oompa Loompas, I had thrown my tablet across the room and shattered the screen. It was the first time I’d let my anger show so obviously in front of someone and it was the first time Depika cleaned a mess without a single comment.

There hadn't been any more deaths since then and my life had quieted down before Olly came barreling in, and Forks stole my heart, but I had made sure to leave my office with a meaningful glance at the secretary. _If there was anything new on the Washington Wonka, it went through me._

And so the sight of the latest victim had made me upset, to say the least. I read through the chief's opinion on it, very similar to mine, Jack was definitely a fit for Wonka’s M.O, but my job was to make sure, so I filtered out what the officers working Jack's scene had found and started to analyse their accounts.

By the time Olly had woken I knew my report would take a few days, so I made a decision.

“Bella, you and Olly can go visit the library, I’m afraid, work is calling and I’ll be busy for the next few days. I’m sorry to ask this but I hope you don’t mind if we stay here during that time and you guys keep yourselves entertained, It’s just I need to focus, not that-”

“That’s fine Blue, Olly will watch out for me won't you Olly?”

In response to Bella’s question, he straightened his back and elegantly extended his arm in what I assumed he thought it was a very mature pose and once Bella took it, he proceeded to lead her to the door with a few parting words, “Don’t you worry Butterface, I know how to use a sword and a laser gun. The Aliens won't take her from me.”

I scoffed “You do not.”

Before Bella was yanked through the doorway she shot me a pointed look. _We'll talk later_.

Cracking my neck I got to work.

\--IMMORTAL--

The report actually only took me two days and I was able to take a break out in the sun while Bella was engrossed in Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu and Olly flipping between three conspiracy comics. It soothed my mind to be able to close my eyes against a tree and know I was neer two people who were as at peace, as I was.

The moment didn’t last, as nice as it was. Eventually, the afternoon sun started to set and we headed back to our temporary hotel, Bella insisted we picked up some nice drinks on the way, which turned out to be iced peach-tea and ginger beer. I knew it meant Bella wanted to have a serious conversation with me.

She busied herself making the drinks and we watched E.T at Olly’s request before he fell asleep and I tucked him into bed.

I sat on the floor in front of the TV facing Bella rather than beside her on the couch like I was before, despite being able to, I still prefer the floor and Bella wanted to talk, so, floor definitely.

“I don’t know much about you Blue, no one does, yet you know everything about everyone else.” She didn’t sound annoyed or angry just like she was stating a fact.

“What do you want to know?”

“Why did you become a detective? What made you think, that's what I want to do with my life?”

I hummed, leaning back slightly to get more comfortable, “We’ll I was 11 years old, actually.” My mind flicked to the other 11-year-olds who’d never get to choose a future.

“That young? I don’t even know what I want to do and I’m graduating this year.”

“I never graduated.”

That gave her pause and she seemed to pick her next words carefully as though hesitant I would pull away. I might have if she was anyone else. “Because you couldn’t finish due to other circumstances, or because you were never in high-school.”

“The latter. I took a special course provided by the government that gives you a certificate if you pass. I did and I used it to get into the police as well as passing the physical tests. Then when I was a junior lackie in the force I studied a psychology paper and a few years after that I got my degree in Psychology. I always knew I wanted to be a detective, that was my purpose in life as far as I was concerned during my years growing up.”

“Why? Why was becoming a detective so important to you?”

“Because-” I gave a sad smile “-When I was 10-years old my mother went missing, I risked a lot going to the police for help to find her, yet they never did. My birthday was a couple of days later and I promised myself that if they wouldn’t find her, I would.”

“Did you?”

“No. We travelled from Russia and the way we travelled wasn’t entirely legal, smuggled in. We didn't even make it into America before she went missing, It had never been our destination in the first place. She could be anywhere in the world right now... or nowhere.”

“Blue-”

“-It’s been 17 years, it's the most logical conclusion.”

“And the most depressing”

I gave a bark of laughter, “Yes I suppose so. But despite my initial decision, I do love being a detective, I feel panicked without something to puzzle out, and the satisfaction that comes from knowing I’ve helped in preventing another sadness in the world… it’s nice.”

Bella hummed thoughtfully “You know what you need, you need someone who loves the puzzle, the game of love not the price at the end. After all, if the game never finishes then it can’t end in tears right?”

I let myself smile “Sometime’s your wisdom meshes with your romantic nature and beautiful things leave your mouth-” I waved a finger at her “Baffling, but beautiful.” A flicker of green approached my face with speed and I caught the offending Lizard in my fist, bringing it up to stare between my eyes I hissed at its smirking face “Not today buddy,” before abruptly dropping it into the now empty glass of gingerbeer. Bella looked torn between sternly defending her prized pet, and laughing.

She chose the former and tipped him out of the glass, making the lizard fearfully try to scuttle backwards along the smooth surface as gravity took hold until Bella had him safely sitting atop her book pages as though it were reading beside her.

Grumbling about being replaced by a damn second-class frog I flicked the main lights off and stumbled to my own bed, easily ignoring the torch Bella continued to read with.

\--IMMORTAL--

It was cold. It was cold. It was cold.

She repeated the facts she knew to herself in a mantra.

She was kind. She made people happy.

She needed the facts in the uncertain times, why hadn’t they destroyed her. Why was she left to suffer in agony in the cold alone for all eternity? She didn’t know that, she didn’t know that fact. Or did she? She couldn’t remember. She feared that the most, above the cold and the very real reality of eternity in nothingness, she feared to forget.

She was cold and wet, broken in places that had been unable to heal for so long it was now white noise. The pain was not as sharp as the cold, not as persistent or jarring. The cold kept her present in the moment, kept her calling out facts.

She didn’t know if her words were spoken or just in her head, she was wet, no noise sounded but the same smack of water against stone. It was maddening.

The sound of the water was as agonising as the cold but not quite so conflicting, she hated the cold she did, but without it, she would have drifted into insanity millennia ago. Sometimes she wasn't sure if she was grateful for or not. But she was always afraid, the fear never changed. She had thought day after day, and hours more and eventually years the fear would make way to apathy, perhaps if they had left her and never returned, it may have.

Instead, they came to release her from the freezing prison only to remind her not all pain was yet numb. Once, they had reached into her chest and shattered her solidified ribs to reach her heart, they tore it out and she felt pain unlike any she had ever known. The pain so deafening she had not realised what the action meant at the time. But she soon realised as they taunted her with the knowledge of her loveless existence.

Her crystalised heart was held in front of her and crushed to ash whilst she gasped for breath she did not have and cried tears that never came, only her screams were real. Until her rage became real too. For another fact had fallen through her lips on repeat under the cold cold liquid. She was alone, now, and forever.

He had crushed her Vampire heart and with it, any hope of ever knowing her mate, for a Vampire's mate was connected through mind, soul and heart. Her abdomen would never heal, hollowed out with broken ribs, a testament to the fight they’d lost in protecting her heart. Water weighed her down inside too now.

No being would love her like this anyway. She was cold. She was better off alone and in pain. This was her punishment. If only she could remember why.

\--IMMORTAL--

Once Caius had successfully calmed his fears and regrouped with his Mates, Aro knew it was time to say goodby to the temporary crunches they had used to cover the loss of their final mate. Despite not knowing how long it would be until they were reunited they all knew it would be better if Sulpicia and Athenodora were well adjusted before their queen arrived.

“Caius brother, I believe it is time to inform our wives of our mate.”

Marcus gave a sound of agreement. Whilst never having a permanent wife like Caius and Aro, Marcus had taken many different loves in his time, it would all cease today, as the Matting bond was the most sacred of bonds and it was understood by Vampires everywhere that while marriages may be made to steady an incomplete Vampire, all will be immediately stopped upon one of the parties finding their other.

Caius called out to Felix “Tell Athenodroa and Sulpicia we wish to see them.”

The mountain-like Vampire gave a polite nod before disappearing and appearing as quickly as he’d gone, he led two beautiful vampires through the doors. One had hair as dark as the shadows that danced along the walls and a plunge cut mermaid dress to match. She walked in heels the same shade of black, with her eyes and nails the only colour to grace her. The other, wore a looser dress of pastel pink and had strawberry blond curls to match her princess look, finished with jewels dripping from her porcelain skin.

The two contrasted almost more beautifully together than they were apart, Sulpicia had a seductive feel to her being, and Athenodora was not much better. Any Vampire would have killed to have either of them as their mate, but the Volturi Kings were not their mates and now it would be known.

Aro stood from his throne as the woman entered he made his way towards them with mock happiness, “We have some wonderful news, my dears. We have had a vision of our mate and she is perfect beyond compare.” He took a moment to appreciate the looks of outrage that lit their features before fanning the fire, “I’m afraid you are aware of what that means-”

He was cut off by Sulpicia’s barbed words “So what? We are to be thrown from the place like beggars on the street?!”

Aro shot her a look of mock disappointment “Now now Sulpicia, I did not say-”

He was cut off again by another accusation, meanwhile, Athenodora had stormed her way closer to Caius who observed her progress boredly.

“Caius! Caius are you going to stand for this!”

“I am not standing at all.” He drawled

She gave a shriek of outrage and Marcus couldn’t help but openly grin at his mate's antics and the tantrum the women were throwing. Frankly, it had been a long time coming, the Kings had not slept with their wives in a good few hundred years, they often went on vacations around the world without the Kings anyway, leaving for what could be from weeks to years, they never specified.

Marcus could see the two women's bond glow bright and strong, they were soul sisters that he would never doubt, but occasionally he saw the bonds between them and their husbands flicker. He thought it would do both parties much good to separate.

“-loved you for over two millennia!” Athenodora had always seemed to believe Caius her one true love, mate or not.

He decided to tune the rest of it out and assumed prodding Caius through the mind link Aro maintained between them. After all, he knew how it would end, Athenodora and Sulpicia would be allowed to vent their frustrations up until a point, once they become too annoying they will be silenced long enough to listen to the new rules. Honestly, the women were being met with extreme tolerance to be allowed to make such a fuss over a time long since discussed. If they kept it up much longer he would be the one silencing them.

\--IMMORTAL--

The rest of our trip went over without interruption, we travelled to the Vatican and further, then back again, not really planning a straightforward route, just picking where we wanted to go and then going, it was rather freeing actually, regardless of personally not following many leads for my Alien case, as Olly had taken to calling it.

We had one more stop before we went to our last city; Volterra, and there, I was definitely going to search for some answers, but first, we were going to an art gallery in Florence, the Uffizi Gallery. My choice this time

I loved art but couldn’t paint to save my life, I spent the time gazing at the images in awe. I could never hope to achieve that level of beauty and creation. I thought Olly would be using his camera, but over the course of our adventures, I'd only seen him with it out in the strangest of places. My curiosity was strange, I wanted to know the answer to puzzles and sometimes it could cause me to work through several nights before I noticed and took my pills, but at the same time I could be content knowing I didn’t know something, perhaps it had more to do with I knew Olly would stick in my life long enough for me to learn the answer.

“We shouldn’t go to Volterra.”

I frowned at Bella turning from the Primavera to give her my full attention. “May I ask why?”

“I just thin-” She ran a hand through her hair in what looked like frustration “Carlisle spent time with the Volturi for a while-”

“Carlisle, Edward’s father?”

She nodded “Yes, they apparently have very strict rules and weird rituals like…”

“A cult?” I provided

“Yes kinda. Look Edward told me they were cruel and had disdain for all hum- others, I just think it’s probably not a safe place to go.”

“Well that sounds logical, a cult I can believe is cruel and ritualistic. Unfortunately, I’m not the most logical person Bella, I understand if you decided to stay away, knowing this. It’s probably better if you don’t come… but I have to go, I don’t understand it but I just need to know, these papers I’ve been studying for months, I need answers.”

She bit her lip nodding “I know, I thought you’d say that. No, I’m coming with you, I just thought you should know.”

I smiled, feeling secure enough to throw an arm over her shoulder, “Come on then, we’d better ask Olly if he wants to come.”

“What?” She laughed “Like he could go home alone?”

“Ahhhh you’d be surprised what he can do, and how little I could stop him. Kid’s got a mind and spirit of his own.”

“You’re talking about me.” His head popped up from behind a man taking pictures.

“Speaking of the devil.” I corrected him. “Come on, let's go back to the hotel and we’ll figure out what we’re doing while we pack.”

Olly made himself very clear that he wanted to see the aliens. I still wasn’t convinced they were aliens, not sold by Olly’s attempt at showing me the UFO polaroids he’d apparently been taking, they were not his only pictures but I didn’t get to see the book he’d decided to stick them in, apparently, it was private.

We decided to drive to Volterra that night and spend the day investigating and if we didn’t find anything after a week we’d leave, back to Forks and our not so normal lives.

Before hopping in the car Bella had given my clothes an o-kaaay look, which I immediately pointed out, "What? What’s wrong with them?” I’d worn my usual choice of crop top and black jeans throughout the trip and tonight was no different with my favourite black turtleneck as the crop top.

“It’s summer Blue.”

“Yeah and?”

She gave me an incredulous look. "In Italy, jeans are okay for inside museums and libraries or under trees but I googled Volterra Blue. They have very little shelter and we’ll be outside walking the streets all day. I don’t want you getting heatstroke and dying.”

I scoffed but gave in to her demands and swapped the jeans for black shorts with a single white stripe down the sides and after a moment consideration switched the turtleneck for a white crop top. I made it downstairs to see the two of them had managed to pack our bags in the rental car and quickly jumped into the driver's seat, what Bella forgot to take into account during her ridicule of my clothing choice, was it was in fact night, and therefore cold no matter the country. Turning up the heat I started the car and began to drive.

It only took an hour to get there but Olly and Bella managed to fall asleep. I found a hotel and sorted out the details to stay for a week and began to move everything inside.

Once I’d finished I had to make the decision to either leave the two of them sleeping in the car or wake them. As it was only 10 o'clock I decided to wake them up, as I sort of felt like we were being watched.

Gently shaking Bella, she opened her eyes and groggily asked “Wat?”

“Up you get come on-” I unbuckled her and held her arm to steady her so she didn’t fall in her sleepiness then took her through the door and down the hall, reaching the bed just in time for her to flop onto it and return to sleep.

I went back to grab Olly and decided just to pick him up and carry him, he was very light and pretty small for his age so it wasn’t difficult. After that, I decided to do what Bella had done and googled of the town we were now in.

My search didn’t come up with much, the town was fairly simple and not exactly a tourist spot, I never would have picked it to go to on our holiday if it wasn’t where the clues led me. Something was bothering me though, when I had first asked for the hotel, it was as though the information centre were under the impression there was nowhere available. It was strange because the place wasn’t touristy.

I had definitely spent a few minutes arguing with her about it, somewhat because I struggled with the Italian. She had seemed surprised to see a foreigner but she shouldn’t have been too shocked, every place in the world had strangers visit sometimes, no matter how remote. Weirdly a huge man had come through the door and after a few, very pointed words, there were suddenly rooms available, she also started speaking English after that.

The secretary seemed frankly petrified of the man, I did think he looked rather attractive in a way a model was, but I doubted that was why she was so jittery after he left. She had tried to insist that we have separate rooms but we had been sharing the whole trip so far and I didn’t honestly want to be rooms away from my friends, so I informed her we only wanted one, with at least two beds and a couch, if possible in case I needed to rest.

She’d pursed her lips but had said nothing more, instead providing directions to a building by the clock tower in the centre of the town. It looked very beautiful from the outside. The architecture was timeless and had captivated me for a few minutes. I knew Bella would love it in the morning.

Once I had entered the room with Bella my gaze landed on three king-sized beds inside a massive room, probably the size of the kitchen and living area of my apartment, it was odd, especially concerning the price had been so cheap. I didn’t sleep that night, the town was weird before I’d entered it, now that I was there, things were only getting stranger.

\--IMMORTAL--

Sure enough, come morning Bella’s jaw had dropped once she walked outside. We’d already eaten by that point apparently our residence came with free room service, which Bella had agreed was very weird, Olly didn’t seem to care as long as it was food.

We split up to search the town and follow through any more weird occurrences, Olly went to the lower town, Bell took the far right and I decided to start where I was, in the centre around the clock tower.

I was probably a terrible person for letting an 8-year old walk around a strange town where I knew a cult was most likely active, but I also knew that Olly was incredibly difficult to keep track of, and frankly I didn’t think the cult would have much of a chance keeping him captive if they tried and confusing as it was, I truly felt like he was safe here. Besides he insisted and there was no way I could stop him. 

Deciding my first course of action I went back to the information centre. “Hello.”

The secretary looked startled to see me again so I gave her a gentle smile to try calm her down, she was awfully jumpy. “Sorry, I just wanted to ask if I was allowed to explore the clock tower or is it off-limits for civilians?”

She looked even more nervous at that but answered me all the same. “You may go anywhere you like in this town Miss.” 

I narrowed my eyes “Anywhere?” She nodded vehemently “Okay so even a random strangers house?” I was purposely picking apart her words as I didn’t want another odd thread to go without tugging it. After all, telling a tourist they are allowed to go anywhere, especially seeing the architecture of the main building that joined our hotel, it just didn’t add up.

“Um well, no, that's private property-”

“Who owns the Clock Tower and building?”

“A very old family from our city, the Volturi, they don’t mind if you go and look around.”

Uh-huh, wow, so I’d found the cult’s base, interesting. “Thank you, Ms, have a good day.”

Now confident I wasn’t about to get arrested by the police in a foreign country I pushed open the heavy doors to the clock tower, ignoring the few glances shot to me by, passes by. I had asked permission.

I crept into the massive hall, it was fairly dark with the windows high up and rather small, but the very walls were adorned by sculptures in the stone and sometimes a concave, like where a window seat might be, was there made for a statue.

My footsteps echoed on the marble and I shivered slightly, really wishing I’d insisted on my jeans.

I made it to the end of the hall and was baffled to find no corner, just a dead end. Stepping back I gave the wall a measure look before realising in shock it was an elevator, one of the older versions with a gate, but still rather out of place within the architecture, although probably practical to reach the bell.

I pulled back the gate and got in, I was about to push the button to go up when it occurred to me there was no reason to have one for going down unless there was a room or something down there. I pushed that one instead and gave a jump when the elevator began to descend and instrumental music began to play. How odd.

It took a few minutes before coming to a halt, during the ride down I noticed how well kept it was like someone had spent many hours polishing the brass and making sure the ride was as smooth as possible.

I pulled back the gate feeling like I was opening one of those little child safety doors. I was the child and I was making my way into a very dangerous place.

It was another hallway, this one was slightly different, more modern almost, and it seems familiar somehow. I walked along it and saw an empty desk sitting in another concave, it looked like an office or secretary's desk.

I went closer and carefully picked up one of the papers, immediately interested. It was nothing, just some out of context billing papers by the looks of it. I placed them back and suddenly considered maybe I wasn’t supposed to be there. Sure the lady had said I could explore, but that was the clock tower this was something else, it looked more... personal.

I ignored it and decided if I was caught snooping I’d plead ignorance, or that I was lost. I checked my watch and saw it was only 9:00 AM, I’d agreed that we would meet up with the others for lunch at our hotel, as both a way to make sure everyone was safe, and for an energy boost, it would not be good if I missed the time and caused them to worry.

I decided to leave the desk and continued along the hall, so far I had met no one else so I made sure to remember the way I’d gone for when I needed to get back. I did begin to feel more nervous the further away from the elevator I went, as though each step was another pull of the trigger in Russian roulette.

I pushed through it, there was now no doubt in my mind this was the place of residence for the cult and therefore I was very much in danger, but it was an instance where my curiosity won out, I needed to know more.

I passed the curve in the hall and saw a set of doors not dissimilar to the ones of the clock tower, they were straight ahead but a different door, smaller and less obvious stood to the right, I noted that they were all closed and it was probably a sign I shouldn’t go in, but I approached the less conspicuous one anyway.

I grasped the brass handle and slowly rotated it knowing my heart was beating loudly in my chest, I pushed it open to see thousands of miscellaneous items, cell phones, bags, even piles of clothing. I walked in further letting the door click shut behind me. 

The air was dead in the underground place, and the surroundings were quite but almost oppressively, I bent over a desk to pick up one of the neatly arranged cell phones and tried to turn it on, too my surprise it did and it was unprotected, I flicked through the photos and then the documents trying to find something, anything that explained it’s presence but the phone must have been wiped because nothing personal was ever revealed. Looking through a few more phones to try the same thing I eventually gave up and picked my way through the strange obstacle course.

Upon closer look at the bags, I noticed most were more than just bags and they had been arranged in what, at first, looked like chaos but soon became clear as chronological to their invention. It was odd, what I had first assumed was a dump room for things found on people the cult had murdered instead looked, something else, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

I spun around surveying the sections in the room critical, everything appeared to be in the order of invention, it was almost like a…

“Well aren’t you a curious little mouse?”

A man stood in one of the far corners of the room and I briefly wondered whether there was another door or he had been standing there the whole time, before quickly stepping back to broaden the space between us.

He hummed at the action and didn’t follow instead gazing out at the objects with what looked like adoration. I took the time to properly look at him. He had had shocking black hair that seemed to absorb the light, like tar, which came down past his shoulders in straight lines, he stood in a strange way but the thing that stood out the most was how ethereal he looked and I knew without a doubt this begin was not human, his blood-red eyes were certainly a testament to that.

He took in a deep breath through his nose, as though smelling the air for the first time. “Remarkable. Truly I had thought you would go through the throne doors, but I’m glad you found my collections.”

My brain nearly short-circuited, they knew I’d been there, they were expecting me? Maybe the information secretary told them I was coming. Oh... The secretary. I should have known the desk wouldn’t have been empty without reason. I found my voice and decided on being wary “Why?”

“Why what my dear? Why did I expect you’d choose the throne room or why am I glad you found my collections?”

“The last one.” I didn’t care why this stranger had expected me to choose a different door, as far as I knew this was just an elaborate game to him.

Just as he was about to answer there was a small gust of wind as though someone had moved behind me, I turned to see another of the creatures, this one with ice-blond hair like mine. I gasped. I suddenly remembered why it was so familiar, I had dreamed of this place and these angel-like beings.

“Really Aro must you frighten her away with your games?”

I snapped my head back to Aro and saw him looking rather serious, which I was weirdly almost sad about. “I assure you brother this is no game.”

“No, it is not.” A different voice again, A younger-looking being came to stand beside the blond, I took a step back from them. Consequently closer to Aro, but there were two on that side so it evened out.

The blond seemed to scowl at my retreat before the younger aristocrat-looking-one lay a hand on his shoulder, he seemed to say something to the other with his gaze.

The Blond turned back to look at me, “You do not seem very afraid for one who is lost and alone, surrounded by three strangers.”

He didn’t seem to be mocking me more genuinely curiously and I was never one to lie for the sake of it, so I told the truth, “We’ll I’m exactly where I intended to be, so I doubt I’m lost. I did come here looking for you after all.”

Their eyes seemed to light up at this and the Blond practically purred his next words “You were looking for us?”

I hesitated, shooting a look at Aro who I’d noticed inching closer, “I’ve read some interesting accounts, and heard things about the Volturi, I wanted to know more.”

A concerned look graced Aro’s face “Written accounts of us? The Volturi, by name?”

I celebrated silently that he had just confirmed they were, in fact, the Volturi whilst also hating that I was right. “Yes?”

He hummed, “And what do these accounts say of us, my dear?”

I almost shivered at his voice and instantly berated myself, “Not much. But they do like to go on about Volturi's inhuman beauty, seeing you, can’t say they were wrong.”

A startled laugh left the blond and his eyes gleamed, “Interesting thing to say to someone you’ve just met Carissima.” 

I decided to pull the rug from under him, faking ignorance, “What? That you aren't human?”

They fell silent again before the brunette cocked his head to the side, “And what do you think we are, if not human darling?”

I shivered again and not from the cold before blurted out my answer “Aliens.”

Sometimes I just really wanted to smack myself. The responding grins were weirdly embarrassing but I pulled myself together enough to step out and around a pile of clothes, giving me something between the three and away from Aro’s careful but constant advancing.

Aro spoke “Tell me, Amore, would you like to take this conversation to a better-suited setting, perhaps lunch. You may invite your friends if you wish.”

I immediately became defensive “What friends?”

I was given a gentle smile by the youngest looking, which did nothing to relax me, neither did his words, “Fear not for them dearest, we mean you all no harm.”

“Oh?’ I snarked “Then mind telling me how you knew about us?”

Aro answered, “You are staying in our building Amore.” That gave me pause.

“Your building. Do you keep an eye on all your guests?”

The Blond seemed to want to cut to the chase “No, no one else is allowed to reside in our buildings unless by our order. We smelt you the minute you came into our town and sent our guard to watch over you and your friends.”

Okay, so that explained the feeling of being watched and the strange encounter with the secretary. “Huh, I knew I’d get some answers coming here. I imagine you have people watching them now then?”

At his nod I sighed and began to make my way against the wall between the piles towards the door, figuring it was better if my friends were with me. where I knew they were safe. even if it was in the jaws of the beast. Three pairs of eyes watched me in fascination as I reached the door, “Well come on then.” I called over my shoulder, relishing in the chuckles that followed.

I just managed to open the door when I felt myself being picked up and a blur of colours then I found myself seated on a couch with the blond in front of me on a sofa of his own and the other two not far behind. Before I fully registered what I was doing I had sprung up from the stupid couch and stood myself behind it, glaring at all of them.

It was silent for a moment before the blond spoke “Apologises Carissima, I do not mean to frighten you.”

I dragged in a slow breath trying to pretend like my heart wasn’t about to jump out of my chest. Truthfully it wasn’t the speed at which I’d been moved that caused the panic. It was the unexpected placement on the sofa. I could make myself sit on them without appearing strange, I prefer not to, but I could do it, although I usually had time to think and prepare myself first. 

I ignored the apology in favour of glancing around the room and noting it was a library of sorts. It was actually very beautiful and seeing all the beings sitting on the sofa and simply watching me rather than standing themselves, I felt a little more in control of the situation. I decided to test that by wandering over to one of the shelves and once I was there I sharply turned to see them still exactly where they had been. Okay, that was good.

I wandered back to the couch and lent on the back of it with my eyes narrowed at them. Aro stood as if to approach me suddenly there was a loud warcry and a blur of floppy brown hair flew at Aro. Then the next second Olly was being held in the young brunette's lap. “Such spirit young one.”

Olly seemed rather miffed at the change and I was still processing the speed at which I had _not_ seen the brunette move. Everyone seemed to be waiting on my reaction but seeing Olly looking perfectly content and grinning at me apparently forgetting his declaration of war I decided to let him stay there for now, not that I could have done much.

I opted to ignore the fact I had no idea _how_ Olly found me, let alone appeared from nowhere, putting it down to his running away ability and instead focusing on more pressing matters.

“So what are you, if not E.T?”

They seemed to take their time to consider me before the brunette answered, “Perhaps we should introduce ourselves first. My name is Marcus, Aro is in the middle and Caius on the other side.”

“Blue.”

Aro piped up cheerfully, “That is an unusual name.”

I pursued my lip and looked away, I was used to receiving the comment but for some reason, from him, it was almost as though I wanted to explain every detail of my life and invite him into it. It was disconcerting, to say the least. I chose a half-truth “Well I had to choose it when I was 13 and was a stupid kid, so there we go.”

“You chose your name?” Caius inquired innocently.

“Yes.” I snapped back, the subject was promptly dropped and Marcus resumed talking. “Your friend is just arriving now, perhaps we should wait to tell her at the same time?”

I nodded and sure enough, a moment later Bella was deposited onto my previously occupied couch. I grinned at her startled expression and lazily drawled, “So you guys find anything or have you been slacking because I found the cult and their super-secret hideout.”

Bella didn’t find me funny, while Olly began to protest wildly, “I was looking! And I found a super secret passageway!-” He seemed to be remembering something before he corrected himself “Actually I found two!”

Aro clapped his hands together in delight “Well aren't you clever.” Olly beamed before seeking to realise he’s pretty much been teleported and gaped at his Aliens.

Bella, on the other hand, was worrying me “Bella, are you okay? They said they wouldn’t hurt us, not that I believe them but they haven’t yet so that's a bonus.” I was probably a bit too blasé for normal standards but the creatures had super speed so really, why worry, it just means you suffer twice. Apparently our captors were the monologuing villains, I didn’t think that happened in real life, yet neither did I believe in dark castles underground like some sort of Vampire house…

“Wait a minute! You guys are Vampires! Right?-” I looked imploringly at them and took a little satisfaction in Caius’s obvious pride at my deductions. “That is correct Amore, we are Vampires.”

“Huh, well how ‘bout that.”

Olly frowned “No. You’re Aliens, I know it. I took pictures of some UFO’s you could have taken to get to earth _and_ I read the words Bubbles stole and-” I was about to protest my apparent thieving but looked back at Bella and found her looking entirely unsurprised at the turn of events.

“You knew.” I accused, Olly fell silent.

She looked at me guiltily but was interrupted in whatever she was about to say by Caius. “What? Who told you of our existence?”

Bella looked frightened and Caius seemed as though he was about to spring from his seat and rip the answers from her. Before I knew it, I bared my teeth and him and hissed. It seemed to shock him back and instead he remained staring at me as I flushed over what I’d just done. Still, I didn’t regret it, no one would hurt Bella on my watch, regardless of if she’d kept something I wanted from me.

“I- Um, no one told me actually-” Bella shot me an apologetic look “- I did figure it out on my own but only after meeting Edward and I guess he confirmed it for me.”

I gasped “I knew there was something strange about that Doctor!!”

Aro looked thoughtful “This wouldn’t happen to be Edward Cullen, Carlisle Cullen’s coven mate would it?”

Bella looked at me and I shrugged, it was her secret to tell not mine. “Yes.” She admitted.

Caius's lip curled at that before hissing “So the Cullen’s knew of this exposure and did nothing. Tell me young one, why has he knowingly let you out of his sight whilst you could expose our kind.”

Bella’s eyes prickled “Because they left Forks. What I do is not their decision to make, besides I was never going to tell anyone. I didn't tell Blue, even when I knew she was looking into it.”

Aro pulled his hands to his face in a prayer motion, “Perhaps the Cullens told you about us?”

Bella nodded “Yes, Edward said you are the enforcers of the law, the Kings of the Vampire world.”

Aro nodded “Yes that is true. Did he happen to mention my powers dear?” Bella shook her head “With one touch I can read every thought and memory you have ever experienced, this is quite useful in our trials, unfortunately with this new knowledge I will have to ask your permission to read your thoughts.” He extended his hand and I looked at Bella warily but she didn’t seem to hesitate, apparently deciding she didn’t mind the Vampire knowing her whole life in an instant.

He seemed to be absorbing all the information and I decided to ask my question “Does that include seeing them going to the toilet?”

A surprised sound ripped from Marcus and Caius was openly grinning while Aro gave me a wide smile, I didn't know why I thought it was a valid question.

Aro eventually pulled his hand away and sat back further into the couch. “That is most interesting Miss Swan, I see nothing."

Bella nodded "I guess that makes sense, Edward couldn't either."

"Um, what?" I questioned, "Edward can read minds?"

Aro hummed in response. "Yes, and rest assured young Edward will be seen to about abandoning the woman he claimed his mate, our laws are clear. The confusion was most likely the animal blood distorting the Cullens smell, although I would have expected Carlisle to know.”

Bella frowned “I’m not Edward's mate?”

Caius scoffed, “If he has left you I should think not, although from your scent I know it.”

“You can tell mates, which I’m assuming it's sort of like intended partners, by their smell?” I was a little confused.

Aro gave me an indulgent smile “Vampires are far more in tune with their senses than Humans and as such we can feel and smell the bond created between mates. Marcus can see all different types of bonds and their strengths between people, this is a unique gift he possesses, like my ability to read your thoughts with touch.”

I drummed my fingers on the couch “So does Bella have a soul mate?”

Marcus answered “I see a bond, like-that-of when a mate has died. I am afraid Isabella we cannot smell who it was after they are gone.”

Bella looked rightfully upset by the news, the one she was intended to be with she would never even get to meet. I was reminded of the stolen opportunity from the children Wonka killed. Love truly was cruel. But at the same time, Bella seemed to be relieved Edward, the one who had abandoned her, was not her intended. 

“What about Blue-” she asked. 

I gave her a terrified look, did she _not_ remember our conversation. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know if there was someone out there intended for me it was almost too much. She ignored the look and continued on “Maybe if you told her she could be loved she wouldn’t be afraid of it.”

“Traitor,” I hissed. Caius and Aro seemed torn between what looked like pity, confusion and knowing smirks.

Perhaps more than one.” Marcus answered elusively.

Ever the romantic Bella lit up, “Oh wow, how many? And do you know them?”

“No. No. No. nO!” I hissed at her.

She pouted “I will never get to even meet the one that I was meant to love, and you have the opportunity right here now to know who they are.”

I tried to protest but ended up defensively crossing my arms, I had never been so openly against love, but the sheer faith you had to have to believe in a fated match, not to mention, Bella was right. I was scared. I was apathetic most the time, I didn’t have a permanent residence, my only friends had been fish for several years and my boss. Not to mention I had slight missing-mommy-issues and rather appalling self-care habits, who would want that, who would want to be tied to that for their life?

Bella, apparently deciding for me, turned to the Kings and repeated herself “Do you know them?”

Caius piped up “I would say intimately.” It got him a wack around the back of the head from Marcus and took me a second to register before I was looking at them incredulously and Bella was now gaping.

“Wait. What?” I blinked and the scene before me didn’t change. Olly was still being held by a really fast Vampire, while three pairs of eyes hesitantly watched for my reaction. “You’re saying I’m your mate. All three of you?”

Marcus nodded “Yes as we are all three each other's mate, together the four of us make up a whole. We have waited for you for thousands of years Amore, do not doubt you are loved and you need not be afraid.”

I nearly whimpered at the words, said so casually and cutting straight to my core. Thousands of years? And yet with the new information, more began to make sense. They had smelt me when I stepped foot out onto the streets of Volterra, they had gone to lengths to ensure my safety and by extension those I loved-

Huh. I suppose I loved more people than I had thought. I looked to Olly and Bella, two messed up kids just like me, I had made friends with them and I couldn’t tell when I began to love them, yet I wasn’t afraid they would break my heart or run from me. All my life I had seen examples of why love could only be harmful, Bella’s own heartbreak had spanned months gave her nightmares and caused her to lose a part of herself, after around a year of knowing the guy, what if I got to deep and it killed more of me than I had to give.

I saw the desperation in Caius’s eyes and the hesitance and fear in the other two. Maybe I did not love them yet, but I did believe in my heart I could grow too, and I believed that they would do their best not to throw my life away. I wasn’t sure how I knew it but I did. I understood that I felt safe in their presence and took away the caution and I was at home, three pieces of my being that I had felt the ache of missing my whole life.

Thousands of years they believe they had waited for me. I suppose that meant Vampires were immortal. Good to know. Instead of speaking I slowly walked in front of the couch and lowered myself onto it, tense still, but a show of my acceptance and trust, one they probably didn’t realise, but the look Bella shot me meant she did.

“Alright. I believe you, but you’re going to have to give me a second.”

Aro gave a delighted laugh “Tesoro ti daremmo l'eternità se questo è ciò di cui avevi bisogno.”

I understood most of what he’d said and flushed knowing that he was telling the truth, if I had asked for it, they would have given me space instantly. I also got the strong feeling from their reaction to Bella being alive, not a vampire and wandering apparently wild, they would be disinclined to let us leave, I figured that was a problem for the end of the week when we would have to make a decision.

“Come,” Marcus held out his hand with Olly now flashed to sit upon his shoulders, “Let us give you a tour.”

Olly gave a squeal upon realising how tall he was, Marcus the tallest of the three Vampires giving Olly quite the perch. He instantly loved it and began commanding us which way to go, I was happy to oblige and apparently that meant the Kings would too.

I took Bella’s hand in mine as we walked, I wanted to comfort her and knew the realisation of her fated loveless life would catch up eventually, I would be there for her when it did.

During the walk and in between explanations of passages and art that decorated the castle, I asked simple ice-breaker questions to learn more of my mates. Olly and Bella would occasionally pipe in with a question just as silly, asking their favourite shape and strangest food they'd eaten when they were human. The Kings seemed only too happy to respond.

It had been a strange day indeed.


	6. Chapter 6

I listened to the Vampires answers our silly questions and I also took the time to observe them closely.

Marcus, who held Olly on his shoulders, had an air of age about him, it should have clashed with his young almost ruffian features, but instead served to make him give off both importance and casual disinterest. I first noticed it when we had gone to the kitchens, the Kings had decided we needed to eat before continuing with the tour. Marcus had been polite and well-spoken, as though he had been born into a high-society life and he oozed subtle confidence.

Aro was more animated than the other two, even his voice danced with emotion and pitch. He liked to add interesting facts and random bits of knowledge. At one of the carvings we had passed Aro casually stated that there was a passage behind it which led to the kitchens, designed by the architects of the castle for the servants to be able to escape should it fall under enemy siege. It was rather endearing how fascinated he seemed to be by the progress of humanity and the history of our world, it was also very humbling to realise just how much they had seen.

Caius was the hardest to read, he was consistently giving voice to the things we passed but in a more surface way than Aro. If I had to guess, he seemed to be holding back most of his personality, although his general aura was interesting, while the staff all seemed to respect the Kings they seemed outwardly afraid of Caius. It was understandable they would be wary of the Vampires as Marcus had informed us they were human, and it didn’t take much detective work to realise that a Vampire would drink human blood. I was a little concerned at how much that hadn’t bothered me to realise, but I knew I was still processing and I would definitely be addressing it later.

After passing through the final corridor on the west wing I began to realise just how big the place was, we had only managed the West wing and hadn’t even gone into the rooms. “Mi Cara-” Aro gestured to a closed-door “This is your room, and your friends are the ones opposite. We have made sure everyone in the castle knows not to enter this wing for the time being.”

Marcus spoke, “We know you do not plan to stay with us, after all, we are strangers who claim to have a connection with you, but we ask that you give us a week to see our life before you make any decision.”

I looked over to Bella and Olly wanting to check with them, I had already figured that I would wait out the week but I don't want my friends to be uncomfortable.

“That's alright with me,” Bella commented

“Yep! I wanna stay in the castle!”

I raised an eyebrow at Olly “Alright but don’t go sneaking out of this wing alone, I don’t want you being eaten.”

He gave a solute while Marcus assured me he was safe. “We will not allow that to happen, Amore, you have our word.”

After that, they left saying they would be back tomorrow. 

As it was still afternoon and I wasn’t tired we all piled into Bella’s room to talk about the rapid turn of events. As soon as I got through the door I stopped dead, the room itself was pretty big for a bedroom, but it was more the detail of it that astounded me. Along the architraves were tiny sculpted figures in various acts of movement, the bed was four-poster and dressed in emerald green sheets. Drapes of the same colour were tied to each post and the light source of the room came from a stone archway opening above to the streets of Volterra.

_I didn’t remember going up again?_

“Oh my god!” Bella looked around the room with the most awe-filled gaze I’d ever seen on her. She adored classics and romance, it was perfect for her, I bet it was like a dream come true.

After I got over my shock I headed for the bed and sat against the headboard with my arms crossed behind my head. Olly joined me by launching himself onto my legs.

“Oof!”

He giggled which seemed to break Bella out of her examination and she headed over after shutting the door. “You know every one of those figures is a person from Roman Mythology right?” I hadn't actually, I’d just thought they were random people, “-This place is so beautiful, first the hallways with paintings and old lanterns, then the kitchens were gorgeous, but this?”

I laughed “Yeah yeah, so it’s pretty-”

“-Not just pretty-” She interrupted “-It’s full of history.”

That did give me pause, she was right this place seemed so authentically old because it was, it was the home to thousand-year-old Vampires. Vampires apparently a thing and a thing Bella had known about. “So you want to fill me in on the Cullens and how you knew they were blood-sucking Vampires and _didn’t_ tell me?”

Olly clearly not interested in the conversation pulled one of his recently acquired comics out of my satchel. Which I hadn’t known he’d put in there.

Bella sighed “Well technically they don’t drink human blood..”

“Did I specify Human? I just said blood-sucking Vampires and honestly Bella of those three words, Vampire is the one I’m emphasising.”

“I really did figure it out myself, but Edward told me that I wasn’t technically supposed to know, and he did try pretty hard to keep it from me.”

“Edward seems to do a lot of telling you things.”

She gave a laugh at that “Yes, he was a bit controlling, he would always insist I was entitled to my own feelings and opinions but he certainly made it clear when he didn’t agree, it kind of made me not want to disagree with him on things just because it would cause an argument.”

“Well, that sounds healthy.” I gave her a critical look, running my hand through Olly’s hair in thought. “You know the night he left you, and I drove you to the hospital?”

“I can remember some of it.”

“Well I’m not sure if you know but the doctors found Connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the default mode network when they thought you might be in a coma, so they scanned your brain.”

She looked frightened “What does that mean.”

“Nothing.” I placated “Not really, I could very well be nothing, but there was a study done, where people under the influence of hypnosis had those connections. I’m not trying to say that Edward was manipulating you in any way, but I am pointing out the possibility, and Bella, you were in serious condition after he left, it really scared me, and I didn’t think it was... normal.”

“You know Dad said the same thing, he thought my depression was… too intense.”

I corrected her “No. It is possible that, that's all it was because mental illnesses can kick your ass, but seeing how lively you are now, just a few months of separation from any reminders of his presence, it just doesn't quite add up.”

“No, I understand, I've been thinking… clearly now, so I’ve been doing a lot of it. But even if what you say is true, it doesn't matter because nothing ever came of Edwards fuckery and never will. We should talk about your love life now.”

I considered groaning but decided to take it seriously, ignoring Olly’s absentminded throwing up sound. “They seem nice.” Yeah, I wasn’t very good at serious.

“Just nice? Come on Blue,” She wiggled her eyebrows at me and I flushed hard trying not to remember the way their voices seemed to pull me in, like a siren's call.

“I only just learnt their names Bella!”

“Well I’d only just meet Edward once and didn’t see him for another week and I was already pretty obsessed.”

I gave her a pointed look “Weren't we just talking about how that relationship was toxic? Sketchy at best?”

Rolling her eyes she moved up the bed, “The point is, Love isn't logical-”

“-Oh boy, here we go.”

She ignored me and continued “-It’s the feeling you get when you look at someone and you know you’d do anything to protect them. It’s when you're up late at night, because you have terrible sleeping habits-”

“What is this pick on me day?”

“-and they are the people you want to waste the night with. Maybe you’ve only just met them, but I can tell you one thing about Vampires that I know is true, Mates are real. Alice and Jasper are mates and if you’d seen even just one interaction with them you’d know that they were perfect for one another, same with Rosalie and Emmet, or Carlise and Esme. I learned from them that Mates are recognisable from scent obviously, apparently, they all thought Edward was right in assuming I was his mate- but Aro said it was probably from their diet.”

“Why do they eat animals?” I questioned

“Because they don’t want to kill humans.”

“Is that the only option. You have to kill the human you drink from?” My mind flicked back to the red-eyed Vampires from before.

“Well, I was told a Vampires’ teeth is coated in their venom so if it enters the bloodstream then the human will start to become a Vampire.”

“Just the bloodstream, not like if you drink Vampire venom you could become a Vampire?”

She huffed “I don’t know Blue I’m not a Vampire, maybe ask your mates?” I fell silent at that and she continued getting to her point, “Basically what I meant is that what if you could skip, fast forward past all the trials and attempts at dating and find the one perfect, most compatible with you, _instantly_. That's what a mate is, not the perfect partner but the best match, a person who works with you, the Gomez to your Morticia.”

I laughed “Addams family reference?”

“I figured since it was almost your last name you might have seen it.”

I paused. I had chosen my last name because I adored that movie, it had been something I associated with my childhood, for someone to casually reference a movie that I might have seen just to connect with me, it was… unexpected.

Bella had actually done a good job calming my thoughts as well, I had been thinking about the whole mate business like fate, an entity I wasn’t sure I believe in, but saying it was a fast forward to a more likely happiness, it made sense in a way, and also implied that I was skipping all the nasties that came with love and relationships, the very things I feared.

“Thanks, Bella.” I wasn’t very good at showing people how much I appreciated them, I’d never had much practice, thankfully Bella always seemed to know.

I stayed playing with Olly’s hair and talking to Bella until Olly fell asleep and Bella crawled into the bed. I picked Olly up and took him to his room which looked very similar to Bella's but was done in a blue so deep it was almost black.

I would have felt nervous about separating us all, especially in a castle of Vampires, but I understood that if they had wanted to hurt us they wouldn't have gone to all the trouble they had. Unable to remember if I’d slept in Florence or not I figured I should rest before I collapsed. Fingered my pills I pushed open my door for the first time.

It was beautiful, the room was not obviously different than Olly or Bella’s but I did notice it held an extra door which I pulled open to find a bathroom that was enormous. Deciding to deal with it in the morning I pulled the door close and hovered next to the bed, it was dressed in pitch black sheets and looked very inviting. Usually, I was very good with beds, I could handle them much easier than chairs although I never figured out why, but I still had times where the drugs just weren't enough to calm my heart and I would retreat to a corner of the room.

I pulled the sheets back and slipped beneath the covers, I sort of hated that I didn’t know why I felt so safe here, but the inky black sheets were in pristine condition and as different as could be to my nightmares.

\--IMMORTAL--

After thousands of years of waiting for their last mate to join them the three Kings were a little shocked at how unprepared they were. They had good intentions but the truth was they had not been human in 3 thousand years and so a few things had been lost on them, it occurred later on, as they were sitting in the throne room listening out for their mate's heartbeat, that perhaps they hadn't gone about telling her in the best way.

“You know Aro you probably scared her enough by standing in the dark and calling her a ‘little mouse.’”

Aro gave Caius an offended look “I did not appear behind her to trap her in the room. _That_ was you.”

Marcus shot them both and are you kidding me look, causing Caius to purse his lips and look away. “We may be a bit out of touch with the delicacies of humanity but I am sure our mate is patient and will let us know how she feels, she seemed rather unafraid of speaking her mind.”

Caius grinned at that, “Yes she did manage to surprise me, although it is troublesome to learn of the Cullens behaviour. Perhaps we should call them for a visit to explain themselves?”

Aro nodded, “Yes I must also see what Carlisle knew of our mate, she mentioned knowing him, I wonder why he did not tell us of her existence.”

Caius growled at that, the thought hadn’t occurred to him that their mate was being kept from them.

Marcus settled an arm on his shoulder “Calm yourself, brother, we do not know the whole story, and Carlisle knows the laws." The threat rang clear in the oldest King's voice.

An excited clap from Aro shattered the silence “I know! Let us hold a ball, I do love dancing and we can invite the Cullens a few days earlier to 'check-in' with them.”

“It would be a good way to introduce our mate to other Vampires, she will need to be announced soon so everyone can know that we are now united and should anyone attempt to use her as a bargaining chip, it would not end well for them.” Caius snarled.

“Yes.” Marcus nodded “But it will also serve to give our mate other connections apart from us, we do not want to overwhelm her and if we will be spending this week with her she will most likely appreciate the break.”

Caius scoffed “Why would she need a break from us, she is our mate is she not?”

“That is true,” Marcus spoke “But she is still human and does not feel the bond as strongly as us, nor has she had the same amount of time to adjust to the idea, in fact, she only learnt of it today. For now, we must be patient.”

Caius slumped in his seat, he knew his brothers were right but it taunted him like cheese on a mousetrap, he wanted it badly but he also feared the pain if the trap was loaded. If Blue rejected them they would survive, but it would tear them in a way they could become shells of who they were, losing Didyme for the coven had been awful, if they lost their mate, he did not want to think about it.

Aro had a similar mindset, he feared every wrong step he would make, but Marcus’s stead assurances within their mind link settled him. They must have faith in their mate.

\--IMMORTAL--

On the other side of the castle in the turret of the North wing, Sulpicia and Athenordora paced angrily. They had spent hundreds of years upping their standing within the Volturi coven. They were the wives of the Kings, the rightful Queens and now suddenly they had no use of their wives.

Athenodora was outwardly and verbally raging, but Sulpicia had calmed her pacing and sat on a far chair to watch her sister. Once the initial shock of the news had passed, the annoyance had hit, causing them to verbally attack the Kings and attempt to reason with them, once they had been silenced by Marcus and dressed down in matter of fact tones the hurt had hit. At least for Athenodora, Sulpicia knew her sister loved Caius, they were not mates but that had spent many years together and Athenodora had poured more of her heart into the blond king than he deserved.

Sulpicia had never loved Aro, and like Caius did not love Athenodora, Aro did not love her. She never minded, the purpose of Vampire marriage was to physically attempt to mend a hole in the soul, love was not necessary and definitely discouraged as it could cause complications. The loveless union had been exactly what Sulpicia wanted and finding Aro attractive enough it had certainly been no hardship, unfortunately, both parties had grown apart from each other, Aro seemed to find her more and more difficult to touch for reasons he didn't know.

It was unfortunate that he did notice, but Sulpicia’s powers hadn’t failed her yet. She had successfully altered the memories of the Kings _and_ Aro’s little sister Didyme. She was able to alter them as they were made and shortly after. Annoyingly no matter how persuasive she and Athenodorar had tried to be, Didyme had never swayed, eventually, they were given the order to get rid of her, as she had begun to cause more problems alive than she would dead. Sulpicia’s gift worked but done too many times and they began to get bits and pieces re-surfacing from the wiped memories.

Thankfully combined with Athenodora’s power of mental hooks, she could intensify ideas of love and fear if she wanted, it placed the idea within their mind it wasn’t as powerful as Sulpicia’s but it served its purpose to keep any suspicions the Kings might have had from interfering with their plan. Athenodora was never supposed to fall in love with Caius but it mattered not, while Sulpicia hated her sister's broken heart she knew, in the end, Athenodora knew of the priorities that came before her heart.

They were so close. So close. And that stupid little human child had thrown them back years if not to the very beginning. They needed a plan. “Athenodora.” The woman turned to look at her sister “We need to get rid of that talking monkey, but we need to do it without raising suspicion. Unfortunately due to our position, we are already automatically the first they would consider.”

“Not if she gets rid of herself.” Athenodora hissed hatefully

Sulpicia took a moment before understanding, “If she rejects the bond! The Kings would never force her to stay… and they would perish because of it.”

“We would obviously have to check with Valad and Stefen before doing anything, they will need to be ready to strike when the Kings are weak.”

“They will be sister, I am sure of it, but how are we going to make her reject the bond, perhaps we could befriend her and then warn her away?”

A laugh came from the blond “Sulpicia dear, have you forgotten I specialise in making people think what I want, she is human it will be much easier on her mind than that of a vampire.”

Sulpicia nodded “We give her feelings of doubt and tell her the truth, about the Kings ruthless and vindictive nature-”

“-and how they would obviously never have chosen her if they had, had a choice.”

“What of Aro. He will surely touch his mate before we get her to reject them if he sees that we were manipulating her it would be for nothing. And I cannot possibly be there every second of the day to constantly wipe his memory.”

“Then we make this girl hate his gift. He would never use it on her if she asked him not to.”

A grin worked its way onto Sulpica’s face, “Good.”

\--IMMORTAL--

Bella groaned as Olly came racing in and jumped on her bed. “Come on Bella, come on!”

“What?” He yanked the sheets off her and she grudgingly sat us down to find two pairs of red eyes beside the bed next to Olly. “I’m guessing you guys are the twins?”

The girl gave a sharp nod, “Yes. I am Jane and this is my brother Alec.”

At his name Alec added on “We’ve come to show you around, we can go wherever you would like within the castle or the city.”

Bella noticed that the twins seemed to be flicking their eyes to Olly as though surprised he was still there. Olly decided to answer for them both. “We want to explore the castle!”

Jane seemed to soften from her harsh exterior when Olly turned his pleading gaze on her. “Of course Oliver, come with us.” She turned on her heels and left with Olly trailing behind, Alec watched them for a moment before turning to Bella. 

“You have time to get dressed do not worry, I won't let them runoff.

Bella gave him a smile in thanks and waited till he had left before stumbling to the clothes sitting at the foot of her bed and pulling on the first thing she had seen. It didn’t take a genius to put together what had happened, Aro had mentioned yesterday that the witch twins would want to meet Olly, and the unconsciously adoring looks shared between the three was speaking in itself, Olly had found his mate. Or mates, she wasn’t quite sure if Jane and Alec could be mates as they were related, maybe that made them closer she didn’t know.

Bella felt a stab of anguish hit her before she reached the door and to her horror she felt her eyes well up, willing it down she berated herself. She loved Blue and Olly, of course, she wanted them happy, it was just painful to think of her own life, so she chose not to, and she exited the room with her head held high.

This wouldn’t beat her, she didn’t even know what mates were a year ago, she could find someone to love and who loved her, maybe they would both be human and that's why she had no bond. She didn’t think about how Marcus had told her that she had a mate, she didn’t think what a dead bond would look like, maybe it was white and brittle like bones from a skeleton, maybe it was angry, red and buzzing or maybe it was jagged and sharp like broken glass. She definitely didn’t think about it.

Jane had fallen back to walk with Bella while Alec walked with Olly. Jane regarded the human with a searching look, she appeared older than Jane did, most likely in her late teens compared to the twin's 15-year-old selves, well in appearance. Bella was clearly one of the shyer humans, having definitely noticed Jane’s staring but saying nothing, Jane cocked her head to the side, the human looked… old, in the same way, Master Marcus looked old, she looked sad and tired. Annoyed with her analysis Jane elected to ignore her for the rest of the walk. Humans were too strange.

They made it to the familiar kitchens and as soon as the twins entered everything became more tense and polite at once. Both seemed unfazed by it but Bella couldn’t help but feel a touch of sympathy for the Vampires who may be hundreds of years old but were children in appearance. They were feared and clearly took pride in it, but seeing all the staff actively try to avoid them, it was… sad.

Olly noticed it too and for some reason, he couldn’t understand but it made him angry. Angry like when his mother had said he wasn’t allowed to go to school, she had said it was for his safety because he was sick, but Blue had told him that she was mean and a liar. Olly thought the people staring at his new friends were mean too, they would probably not let Alec or Jane play either.

Olly decided then and there that he would make sure to play a game with the witches before he had to go. He didn’t care if anyone tried to stop him playing with them, he would run away, and he would teach Alec and Jane to run away too. Yes, he would teach them to run away, just in case they needed to when he was gone.

He turned to Jane, she was very pretty, like his Blue was, but opposite. Blue had white hair and Jane had black hair. It was short and with a fringe, she sort of looked like Alec, Alec was pretty too. He had black hair and really smooth hands, Olly had grabbed it when he was walking, he wanted to do the same to Jane but she was too far away, instead, he drew patterns on Alec's hand and Alec smiled down at him, it made him feel like when he had brought Blue to his Kingdom. He would bring the witches one day, and Bella, Bella could come if she wanted.

The four kids sat at a table in the kitchens in comfortable silence, Bella never really talked much except with Blue, she hadn’t even talked as much as she did with Blue, to Edward or even Alice. Olly was busy playing with Alec's hands and Jane and Alec went from watching their human charges to gazing out at the surrounding workers. Alec couldn’t remember the last time he had just sat with his sister he felt a swell of thankfulness for their mate, and every pass of his finger along his palm made Alec have to resist harder from letting the smile overcome his features. Like his sister he was feared and known as sadistic and stoic by everyone except the other members of the guard and the masters. He knew his sister saw his well-hidden smile and he felt her returning one, she was always pleased when he was, it was the way of their bond.

Their peaceful morning was broken by a flurry of movement for the kitchen staff, who had all but started to ignore the Vampires in the room until another graced them with her presence.

A god-like woman entered the room and Bella found her eyes tracking the woman's movements with awe, she was so enraptured that she almost missed as Jane and Alec stood up violently and moved themselves in front of their table with a hissed warning “Sulpicia. You should not be here.”

Sulpicia paused, flashing them a toothy smile “Don’t worry pets I mean them no harm I’ve only come to introduce myself.”

Olly Let out a snarl back, but the moment was broken as Bella let words fall stupidly from her lips “You’re gorgeous.” Bella immediately felt embarrassment flood her checks as all four turned to look at her.

Sulpicia smirked condescendingly “Oh little human you are so far from home, you’re like a snack if I thought it was worth the trouble I would eat you here and now.”

Alec snapped “Get out.”

Throwing him a mock kiss she let one last comment ring over her shoulder before disappearing, “Of course, I wouldn’t want to upset the doggies now would I.”

Olly lunged at the empty space and was caught in Jane's arms, she gave a soothing noise and Olly immediately snuggled up to her. Bella watched on as Alec moved to run his hand through Olly’s brown locks and she decided she would leave them to their time together, she didn’t want them to have to watch her when they wanted to be getting to know their third.

“I think I’m going to go back to my room, I’m sure Olly can keep you guys busy finding secret rooms and whatever else.”

Alec nodded in acknowledgement but Jane stopped her gentle purring to once again give the human a considering look. It was odd that the human would let them play with Olly when she did not in any way, have to leave, it was illogical to her and she didn’t like it. Turning back to her mates she let the other human go.

Bella took the same path heading back to her room intent on doing what she’d said when it occurred to her that she was in a castle, a real-life castle from Kings and Queens of old, she was currently living a fairytale and she could live it much better if she explored rather than moping in her room.

So turning on her heels she began to walk in a random direction intent on getting, very, very lost.

She eventually found herself in front of a door which looked for all intents and purposes like a door to outside, as she had been super sped into the castle she didn’t know if it was for certain, reaching out to open it she hesitated, was she allowed to leave the castle? Alec _had_ said they could go anywhere in Volterra. Making up her mind she pushed the door open and stepped out into a beautiful garden.

In awe, Bella let her feet take her along the cobblestone path that wound in and out of fruit trees and bunches of flowers, everything ranged in different colours and sizes, it was beautiful, natural and disordered but neatly kept and full of life, just like her.

She found herself kneeling beside some pink carnations, and gently put her hand into her jacket to pull out her green friend. Settling him on one of the leaves he stared at her as though accusing her of abandoning him.

“Don’t worry Harold, I think you’ll like it here. Besides you’ve been away from nature for too long, it's time for you to go free.” He stares unblinking for a moment longer before scuttling further into the bush.

With a sigh Bella stood and began walking once more, after getting lost within the trees as well as the castle having strayed from the path, Bella tripped over a tall rock. “Owww.” She hissed grabbing her knee but glad there was no blood, she didn’t want a repeat of Jasper especially with a whole castle full of _human_ blood drinkers.

Brushing herself off she turned to gaze at the offending rock but was startled to find it wasn't a loose piece of earth as she had suspected but was actually a grave marker. Mystified by the familiar shape and the word etched into the stone, she went closer and brushed his fingers on the Latin scribble murmuring the word “Nex.” Her mind searched for what she knew of Latin, "Violent death... or murder."

“Didyme’s grave.”

A voice surprised Bella causing her to yelp and fall on her butt whilst turning to see the speaker.

The tracker gave an amused look to the human who flushed and pushed herself to her feet. Still leaning against the tree he introduced himself. “I am Demetri, part of the elite guard. You must be Bella.” He wandered close to her, pushing off the tree with a show of casual elegance.

“I- am yes. Who’s Didyme?”

Demetri stopped in front of her and breathed in deeply, Bella held still a little afraid but mostly used to Vampires as this point. “You smell… familiar.”

He moved back after that, giving her a searching look as though it would explain why. When Bella didn’t say anything else Demetri answered her previous question, “She was a member of this coven. This family. Master Aro’s sister and good friend to Master Marcus.”

“Not Caius?” Bella couldn’t help the question and Demetri gave another smirk.

“Master Caius does not really have friends, although aside from his mates I do believe he might consider me one, or any of the elite guard, he is secretly fond of everyone in the family I think. I do not believe he disliked Didyme, it was impossible to dislike her.” He seemed to be lost in a few memories and Bella hesitated to ask.

“Um I’m sorry but I am actually a little lost, could you pl-”

“Yes I was sent to retrieve you, it is time for dinner I believe.”

“Already. Huh, and how do you find me if you don't mind me asking, I know Vampires can smell a lot better than humans but surely you can’t track me out here.”

Demetri held out his arm to Bella and began to lead her back to the castle, “Most Vampires cannot no, however, I would be able to track you, Bella Swan, if you were anywhere on this earth, I would find you. That is my job.”

Bella’s heart beat a little faster and she knew the words sounded awfully like a threat, she should be scared but she couldn’t bring herself to, it was impressive. “Laurant said that James had senses unlike anything he’d ever seen but we were able to trick James for a while by using my clothing to lead him away. If you guys rule the Vampire world then why do people not talk about how good you are at tracking?”

He stopped to face the human amusement and a little bit of respect at the intelligent question, “It is because I am the _elite_ guard Bella, our abilities are known but more like fairy tales for humans, those that do know and understand the power of the Volturi do not go around gossiping like fools, Carlisle who stayed with us for a time would not view our abilities in comparison to some no mad Vampire on the same level. James may have been a strong nosed tracker for other covens, but not here.”

Bella walked the rest of the way in silence, her mind whirling, Demetri let her think and Bella briefly felt a twinge of happiness at the gentlemanly acts the Italian did, opening the door and lending his arm. It helped with the heartache just a little.

\--IMMORTAL--

I woke to a single beam of sunlight entering my room and stretched feeling refreshed and well-rested, which was a novelty to say the least. I got up, looked around and found my clothes at the foot of my bed. Convenient with just a touch of creepy. I got dressed in some more practical clothing for a castle, figuring I’d probably get used to the temperature soon, but I’d been outside in Italy all of our Holliday so that day was not today.

I slipped on my Jeans and turtleneck throwing my hair into a loose updo and opened the door to be greeted with the giant from the information centre. “Hey, I know you!” I blushed when he gave me a smirk and hurried to make myself look less idiotic, “I just meant I saw you… from before… at the inf- I’m gonna shut up now.”

He smiled wider and gave a slight bow, “Apologies for not introducing myself then My Lady, My name is Felix, I am one of the elite guards.”

“Uh right, I suppose that means you were watching us… before.”

“Yes that is correct, I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety.” He looked rather solemn as he said it.

“Thanks, I guess. Oh, I’m Blue by the way.”

“Master Aro is planning on showing you the library today if you are agreeable?”

“Yes please, that sounds cool, I missed out on seeing the last one, unfortunately.” He started to walk down the corridor and I hesitantly called out “Are Bella and Olly allowed to come?”

“They have already gone to meet Jane and Alec, and will be allowed to visit the library if they wish.”

I vaguely remembered the names Jane and Alec from yesterday, they were twins and Aro had mentioned something about how they would be most eager to meet Olly. I figured there was nothing wrong with that and walked towards Felix, who lead the way again.

He stopped in front of a fence-like door, pushing it open he gestured me in. I stepped inside the room and just stopped myself from gaping, it was like much of the rest of the castle, stunning. The library was if I had to guess three stories high and shelves lived on the outer wall while isles were made either side of the entrance. It was massive. The detail hadn’t been lost in the scale delicate gargoyles could be found watching over the books.

I made my way further into the room, taking quite steps out of fear someone might jump out and scold me, my head was drawn further up as I examined the roof, it too was decorated, and it was painted which must have been difficult for whoever had to do it that high up _and_ they must of had to have been horizontal. My mind drifted to my mates as I walked further into the shelves making the odd turn here and there.

All the Kings seemed to be strange, it wasn’t just the fact they were Vampires, Aro for example, his very name was odd to me, I’d never heard of anyone called Aro before. I let the name fall from my lips quietly. “Aro. Aro, Aro, Ar-” There was a brief breeze and I froze as I felt a presence behind me.

“Dearest I do hope you’re not doing that on purpose.”

I whirled around to find Aro inches from me and flushed, “W-what on purpose?”

He hummed and moved a little closer breathing in deeply before reaching over my shoulder and grabbing a book. My heart stuttered as he pulled his arm back to present the book to me, the memory of his arm caging me in was not something I was going to think about ever again. Get a hold of yourself idiot.

His knowing smirk only made me blush harder and I hurried to take the book. It was a titleless book and gently flipping open the cover I realised the edges had been dipped in gold. “That’s a little extra isn’t it?”

Aro laughed “It is written by Marcus, all the history associated with our home here in Volterra, we constructed most of this castle but certain places like the kitchen and some of the West wing were previously used as a smaller castle.”

Oh, that was interesting, I did love learning new things. “May I borrow it?”

“Of course Darling, all these books are here for your use.”

I went to put it in my satchel which I rarely removed and paused “Wait am I supposed to issue it or something, so you know that I’ve taken it.”

He gave a bemused smile “That will not be necessary.”

Okay. I put it carefully in my bag and looked back up to see Aro glance at me before making his way along the shelves, in a cheerful tone, informing me of their layout and the strange ordering of the library.

Eventually, we sat down at one of the tables hidden within the library, talking with Aro was surprisingly easy, surprisingly because I had expected talking to a fated partner would be weird. It wasn't, instead, he happily rambled on about the workings of the printer, making reference to the advantages and disadvantages of the upgrade from the printing press. It was actually adorable and I’d never thought to learn how a printer worked, always just taking it for granted. One thing I realised about Aro, apart from his delight in technological progression, was his appreciation for the things that came before and the preservation of history.

He paused in the middle of his sentence and broke into a smile. “You are staring Amore, do I have something on my face?”

I smirked “Beauty.” I loved the shocked looks I got from them every time I answered their teasing with something they hadn’t expected, it was refreshing to be able to just quip back at someone and not be afraid of the consequences.

“You will truly keep us on our toes Amata we are lucky to have this opportunity to get to know you.” I felt genuinely touched at that, he had not insisted that he would get to know me, and I him, over time, but instead thanked me for the chance of the week I had promised. The behaviour from the Vampires was shockingly far better than most humans I’d met. Probably years of practice.

“How old are you physically Aro? I cannot tell”

“Perhaps you can take a guess?” He questioned slyly

“This feels like a trap.”

“No trap, just curiosity my dear.”

“Alright, I suppose I should guess Marcus and Caius ages then as well?” He nodded, I put my head in my hand with my elbow on the table and stared at him trying to figure it out, “twentyyyy-four?”

“I was 23 when I was turned, very good dearest.”

I was seriously going to get a stroke if I kept blushing all the time, judging by the way his eye followed the rising colour that was his intention. “Okay, Marcus’s is definitely the youngest…. 20?”

“That is correct.”

I gave a sound of triumph, “Right and Caius I’m guessing is older than you. 25?”

“Caius was turned at the age of 29, I’m afraid.”

“Well I’m 28 so I guess that makes me the second oldest.” I gave him a cheeky smirk and he laughed.

“Darling we are over 3000 years old, Marcus is the oldest, then myself, and Caius is actually the youngest of us three, but you dearest are like a young mouse first making its way up to the lion's cave.” I pulled a face at the animal reference. Aro noticed cocking his head to the side, “you do not appreciate the comparison?”

“It’s not that, it’s just… I don’t like mice. They are disease infected rodents and used to be everywhere where I used to liv- stay.” He pulled his hands to his face as though listening intently and I realised that he truly was interested in what I was saying.

“I apologize Blue, I didn't mean to cause bad memories to resurface.” He looked genuinely troubled by my reaction which in turn caused me to feel horrible.

“Hey no, you didn’t know, you couldn’t possibly have known. Believe me when I say this Aro if I am uncomfortable with anything that is happening, I will tell you. I will not suffer in silence I assure you.”

He seemed to lose a weight from his shoulders after that and I had to consider the situation from their perspective, it must be frightening meeting one you have waited thousands of years for only for them to have a very real chance of disliking you. I knew I would give them a fair shot and so far I liked it here, but they didn’t know that.

Making a decision I decided to volunteer some information about myself, a show of trust and vulnerability so we would hopefully be on even playing fields. “I come from Russia-” He sat up a little straighter “-My mother and I left when I was 6 years old, she wanted a better life for me than the one we would have in the outskirts, she used to call me Lada.”

Aro looked thoughtful “Lada, Slavic goddess of beauty and grace.”

I nodded. “I want you guys to know about me, I do. It isn't that I don’t trust you but I’ve never even said my history into the empty air before, I don’t like looking back.”

“It is quite alright Amore, we understand, we wish to tell you of our life of the undead years and even before then, there is no need to rush.” He stood and went to hold out his hand but seemed to realise his mistake and instead disappeared to pull my chair out for me. “Come dearest, let me show you something.”

I followed him as he made his way through the shelves seeming to know exactly what he was looking for and where he would find it. He eventually stopped at the foot of one of the outer wall shelves that stretched the full three stories and before I could fully register what had happened he had scaled the ladders which had been offsetting one another as they ended, and he was back in front of me presenting another book, this one far thicker than the other had been.

“It is like a family tree.” He explained, “If you are feeling out of place in your knowledge of our family, this book will tell you how we are all connected. And it also has our ages.”

I sniggered, taking to heavy toom and firmly stating “I’m the second oldest Aro. It’s just how it is, accept it.”

He was about to respond when he stopped and turned to face the aisle closest to us, I looked as well and was about to ask when Felix appeared a few feet from us. “Jesus.”

“Apologies My lady, but I am afraid there is a situation.”

Aro looked a little like he wanted to sigh but instead turned to me and gave an almost bow, “I am sorry dear but I must go. Thank you for today. I will send Demetri to ensure your friends get dinner. Would you like Felix to take you to the dining room?”

I remembered the speed at which I’d been carried last time and politely declined “Yeah... no thanks, I’ll walk.”

Aro chuckled and Felix hid a smirk then the two were gone.

“Ah, shit!" I forgot to ask where the dining room was. Why did Vampires need a dining room?

I picked my way through the shelves trying to remember what way I’d come from and eventually made it to the familiar gates, still carrying the massive book with both arms, partly because it was heavy and partly because it looked really old and from what I knew people always seemed to say old things need careful handling.

I decided to just walk in a random direction and hope to bump into someone I could ask, not two steps after deciding that course of action another figure appeared in my vision. The woman was clearly a Vampire as the inhuman beauty was anything to go by judging from her expensive-looking red dress I guessed she was important. Although on second thought these people lived in a castle, everyone dressed like royalty.

She broke me out of her thoughts by lifting a hand to my face and turning my head towards hers, “Well if it isn't a little lost lamb.”

Shit, I hadn’t considered that I might bump into a Vampire who didn’t know who I was, I was definitely about to be eaten. Desperate to avoid that I said whatever I could to threaten her away, “I wouldn’t if I were you. I don’t think the King’s would be happy if they found out you ate their mate.”

She sneered squeezing my jaw harshly which caused me to let out a whimper before she dropped it and took a step back with her own chin thrown up in haughty arrogance. “Oh so the little lamb thinks she’s special, does she? Darling-” She said it in such a mocking way it felt like a personal offence to how the Kings addressed me, I like being referred to as darling, it was sweet and this stranger was being… mean.

I interrupted “Look _lady-_ ” I snarked back “-I _am_ special I don’t need you or even any Vampire to make me think that way. I bet you couldn’t find a pen if it was thrown at you stupid head, I have found people, so fuck you.” Yep definitely need to work on my insults.

“Oh sweety, do you actually believe that you are significant to this coven? This family?” She took a threatening step forward, “I have been in this coven for generations, a time you couldn’t even wrap your head around, _baby,_ so do us a favour and get on your plane home right now before your head gets big enough to make a decent meal?

I clenched my jaw, I didn’t want confrontation, but this Vampire's problem with me was, well, not my problem. “I’ve already told them I’ll be here till the end of the week at least, so-”

She cut me off “-Tell them you want to leave and then you’re free to go.”

I didn’t know what her problem was but I felt a weird almost ich in my mind and it shocked my head to try and clear it. “No. You know what, I’m leaving I don’t have to deal with this.”

I turned only to come face to face with her again, except now she had a look of fake worry in her eyes. “Wait.”

I crossed my arms in annoyance “What?”

“You’re just a fragile little human-”

“-Alright.” I started walking but she continued talking, easily keeping up with me

“-You can’t possibly handle all aspect of our world.”

“Lady-”

“Athenodora.” She corrected

“Fine whatever, Athenodroa, I know a lot about your world already okay, I understand that you are Vampires-”

“Oh well done.” She spat mockingly “But do you know some of us possess powers?”

“Yes actually,” I allowed a little bit of arrogance to pour into my words as I showed off my knowledge desperate to prove her wrong. “I know that Marcus can see Bonds, and I know Aro can read minds-”

Her attitude seemed to change at that, calmer and reminded me of a snake swaying ready to strike. “You know of his power, do you? Is it because you have let him into your mind?”

“I- no. Not that it’s any of your business.”

She sighed “You must not be afraid of him knowing every thought every feeling you’ve ever had then?”

I hesitated my mind focusing on one of the words she’d said “Feeling?”

“Oh yes, everything, nothing would be private he would see you in all the ways you see yourself, an inconsequential human.”

I ignored that in favour of clarifying “Do you mean if I got stabbed in my memories, he would feel it if he touched me?”

There was a moment where her eyes flicked up then a grin took over her face “He feels what he sees yes, as though he experiences it himself, again and again, every time he touches you. It must be awful painful for him, I do hope you didn’t get many paper cuts, for his sake.”

A stab of fear clenched my heart and then she was gone.

Shit.

Feeling hard to breathe I went against the stone wall and tried sucking in shallow breaths, I didn’t know why I was feeling so panicked, it was fine, the lady could have been lying. All I had to do was ask Aro or Marcus or Caius and they would tell me. It seemed unlikely Aro felt what he saw, he had to touch thousands of vampires to judge them in court that sounded excruciation if he did feel it all.

My mind helpfully pulled up memories of the times I'd experienced pain. My heart beat faster. I couldn’t bring myself to think about telling them and I didn’t know why I just had to keep Aro from touching me. That was the solution. I could last a week without touching someone, I’d done it my whole life.

What about after the week? What if I decided to stay? I didn’t know… I didn't’ know. Turning off my thoughts I gathered myself back up annoyed I’d let someone get to me so easily. The solution was clear, just don’t touch Aro, he won't feel pain, nothing else too it.

I’d just managed to start walking again when I was greeted by Bella and another Vampire I hadn’t met before.

“Hey Blue.” 

I nodded at Bella, she seemed content. I pushed down whatever had just happened even further, Bella didn’t need to see me being weird, right now she needed someone, no matter how good she was at hiding it. “Hey Bells, who’s your friend?”

“I am Demetri, My Queen.” He bowed his head

I gave him a startled look, “Eh what?”

He huffed a laugh. “Perhaps we should go milady, Alec and Jane have taken the youngster there already.”

I gave a cough, “Right lead the way.”

He smirked and before I could protest he had gently picked me up and with Bella on the side, we sped away. Stumbling out of his grip into a new room with an elongated table in the centre I half-heartedly glared at him, goddamn strong Vampires.

I looked up to see my mates sitting at the table along with Olly and who I assumed were Jane and Alec. I made it to Caius’s side and seeing it was a bench seat I clenched my fist under the book and reminded myself not to look like an idiot. I sat on it without raising any attention and was incredibly thankful that it was a bench seat and not a chair. I lay the book under the seat out of the way.

"Good evening Dearest, did you have a good day with Aro?" Marcus inquired.

"Yes, definitely-" I smiled at all of my mates, "-I mean I wasn't even aware time had gone so fast."

He hummed and turned to the youngsters at the table, "And you young Oliver? I trust you enjoyed your time with your mates?"

Olly grinned, clearly quite taken with Marcus already, "Yes we went onto the roof!"

I narrowed my eyes at the twins, Alec looked almost sheepishly at me while his sister held my stare with a daring one of her own. A twinge of annoyance welled up in me but I broke the eye contact, I didn't know how I felt about them yet, but I knew I wasn't being fair, I'd only just been introduced to them and it wasn't their fault I felt protective of the kid.

To my surprise Caius asked Bella how she was doing, "I heard that our other resident human took to exploring the gardens, alone?"

Bella looked a little like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar but Demitri came to her rescue, "I was with her Master, she was not alone."

Caius hummed looking not entirely like he believed the tracker, but let it go just as food began to be brought out for the three of us and trays fo what looked like wine glasses filled with blood. Knowing where I was I was willing to bet, that was exactly what it was.

I looked at my own meal and saw it was a salad and some sort of fettucini I glanced up to see my mates watching me expectantly, “Did you make this?” I asked surprised, after a hesitant nod from them and a stoic look from Caius I grinned and dug in making sure to wiggle my eyebrows as I ate and complement it consistently. "Wow, it's the most delicious thing I've eaten since the time I ate a whole cake for no reason, all by myself." Bella sniggered and the Kings seemed to be elated, truthfully I wasn't really tasting it much but it was fun to keep coming up with more and more outrageous praises. "Once I saw a shooting star and let me tell you I'd wish for this meal a thousand times."

At some point during my meal, the Kings had begun to drink their own meals and I had briefly paused to watch it, before resuming my complements. I wasn't bothered by it because I didn't know all the facts, I'd give them a fair chance I had promised.

Neering the end Jane and Alec finally reached for their glasses and I turned to watch Olly's reaction. He seemed to notice the attention and looked up to see the twins sipping their drinks.“You’re drinking blood?” He asked Jane

She nodded.

By now everyone at the table was watching the interaction. “Oh-” He looked sad and I was prepared to take him out of the room, but he continued “Guess you’re really not Aliens then.”

I laughed and most the table seemed to share in my amusement as well. “Really Olly? You’re still on that?”

“Not anymore.” He pointed out.

“Touche” I agreed.

At the end of the meal when things were cleared away Marcus spoke "Blue My dear, as we are lucky enough to be graced with a week of your company-" Aw come on, now he’s making me feel bad, “-Within this time we have decided to hold a Ball-” _Huh_? “-To help introduce Blue and both Bella and Olly into our world. It will also provide you all with the chance to make friends outside of our Coven.” That was actually a really good, and thoughtful idea.

Caius looked at me and spoke seemingly not carrying to address everyone, “The guests will begin to arrive tomorrow, if you should feel unsafe with anyone in the hills, call out, one of us of the elite guard will come.” He shot a pointed look at Olly and Bella which they answered with a solute and a small thank you respectively.

Aro clapped his hands, a habit he seemed to have when he felt the need to either break the tension or add to it. “I think that is quite enough information for one night, it is time for the humans to sleep I believe.” 

It was an odd way to phrase it but endearing that he was unsure if it was actually time for rest. Smiling I gestured to Olly, “Yep, bedtime, come on, up.” I bent down and picked up my book, holding it tucked under one arm now.

He groaned but got up and lazily latch onto my other arm, I waited for Bella to untangle herself from the bench and we called goodnight. I gave my head a slight bow to the Kings and took my family through the door and in the direction I assumed was to our wing. A tug on my arm had me follow Olly, “Wrong way.” I let him guide us bac trusting his judgment. Bella looked a lot more dead on her feet now we were alone. 

When we got to Bella’s room Olly crawled under the covers and Bella just managed to strip off her shorts and replace them with pajama bottoms before doing the same. I went and closed the door then settled against one of the walls, pulling out Bella’s torch from her bag and cracked open the massive book. I’d slept all of the last night sleeping and I knew not even pills could knock me out tonight, instead, I put the hours to use and began to read.


	7. Chapter 7

In the early hours of the next morning, I had thought to go back to my room considering, well Vampires apparently didn’t sleep and I didn't fancy tempting fate but instead decided to seek out to see one of my mates.

I wandered all of the West wing first, knowing I wouldn’t find them in it but needing some time to organise my thoughts. According to the ‘family tree’ book, there was a lot I had to learn. It wasn’t done in the traditional illustrative way, but I supposed there were a fair few more things to consider in Vampire heritage, including sires and the whole non-ageing thing.

I had flipped to my mates first, wanting to know more about them the most, but unfortunately, it hadn’t been quite so straightforward. I had to flip back and forth to understand how one person related to another. By one in the morning, I’d managed to get a basic understanding of the coven, my mates were apart of. Coven being sort of the immortal family you choose to join. It was fascinating, I did learn my mates had wives, well Caius and Aro did, although thankful the book did explain the differences between human marriage and a vampiric one.

Athenodora, the woman who had approached me from before was Caius’s wife. It was disheartening that I had someone disliking me so much for reasons I didn’t even quite fully understand yet, but I had to admit it was also understandable, I knew the term homewrecker, and even reading about Vampire marriages not holding much significance wouldn't erase any heartbreak one could suffer.

I had also noticed a familiar name that I had almost forgotten was connected to the Volturi, Didyme, the reason I had come to Volterra in the first place. I was surprised to learn she was Aro’s sister and had been an important part of the coven, but it appeared the Volturi knew as little about her death as I did.

I’d gotten restless after that and finally,, after pacing the West wing, I walked down the staircase which I now realized was how we’d gotten above ground again, and began to go to the library. As I hadn’t been told where I could find my mates I figured the library would be a good bet.

The gates were open so I hesitantly poked my head around the wall only to be met with a smirking blond, “Caius?”

“Yes darling?” He quirked an eyebrow and I grinned, stepping through the doorway and walking to the table he was sitting at. He wasn't reading any books but instead had a chess set in front of him.

I stood by the chair opposite him, “Are you playing yourself?”

“I like to have a challenging game.” He deadpanned. I gave a startled laugh. It was refreshing for someone to speak their mind and the cockiness was tinged with humour, although I didn’t doubt he was serious. “Although,” He continued “It would be nice to have a fresh opponent to go against.”

“Alright, I’ve never played before though,” I warned him.

“I’ll teach you.” There was a flash and all the pieces were reset. He gestured to the board and gave a quick rundown of all the pieces and their allowed moves, I retained most of it but Caius seems to think like myself, that the best way to learn, was just by asking questions as I went. As I was white I moved first, pushing my pawn forward two spaces before I began the game. To be honest, I did try to play correctly at first, asking questions when necessary, like how does the bishop move, but Caius was clearly in his element, I was not. 

I moved my pawn diagonally across the board taking out his rook, Caius corrected me “Only bishops can move more than one place diagonally,”

“Oh you haven't heard, my pawns are recently indoctrinated they meet Jesus and now they're bishops, that's just too bad for you.”I grinned at him and definitely didn’t expect to get away with it but he let out a bark of laughter and instead of demanding the piece back, simply kept playing.

Emboldened by the victory I came up with more outlandish reasons for why I should be allowed to do each action. Caius kept playing fairly even after he checkmated me and I declared that we’d had our own french revolution installing a republic, the game played on. Eventually, he did win by simply taking all my pieces one by one, even after 3 pawns slipped the guards. It was the most fun I’d had in ages and was very theatrical on my part.

Once I was well and truly dead I glanced at my watch to see it was 5 AM, meaning we’d played for 4 hours. “Damn.”

I was met with a chuckle and a hand extended in front of me to lead me out of the room, “Wow, you’re cold!”

“That would be the lack of blood.”

“Oh right.” I flushed, promptly ignoring the way his eyes followed the red I felt rising, I continued to hold his hand and began to pull him to the exit, having had enough of the library I wanted to explore the castle some more, and Caius could no doubt show me around.

I was shown finally where the Kings quarters were and was surprised to find a bed in Caius’s room, “I thought you didn’t sleep?”

He smirked, “We don’t.” _Oh_

After that I elected to keep my mouth shut for a while, It was true that my mates made me feel things I know I’d never felt before, even the embarrassment was not something I hated. Generally, it was nice being around them, but the fear lingered.

Eventually, it hit lunchtime and Caius took me to the kitchens for some food. I learnt that Bella had gone to the guardians again, I knew she loved nature so I wasn’t worried, and Olly with his mates, so, for the time being, I was free to do whatever I wanted. Unfortunately, Caius was called away after that and I felt a twinge when he left. It was annoying and so I went back to my room to dig out my computer.

Once I opened it I found the wifi password and Aro’s name signed underneath, which made me laugh, he was quite the eccentric, they all were really. I booted it up and checked my emails to find only one, from the Captain.

_Hey Adams, Just letting you know you may have heard of the Seattle disappearances happening over the last few months. They are too frequent to be the work of one guy, we’re thinking of a new gang, I’m telling you because I know you’ll get involved in it otherwise. I’ve set some other detects on the case. I need you to focus on Wonka, he’s hit again and if he follows his previous run, it’ll be 3 more before he’s off the radar again. We need to catch him Blue so I need you working hard on this case. I've attached all the stuff we have, old and new, print it, whatever, do whatever you need to, but give me something._

I looked down and sure enough pages and pages of documents were linked in. _Fantastic_. I really needed to find a printer. I always worked better with hard copies. Wait. Printer? My mind shot back to Aro, he would definitely have one somewhere.

Ditching my stuff in my room, I ran to where Caius said Aro’s was. I knocked on the door and when no one answered ran to the library. I called out first hoping no one else was in there that I would disturb, I needn't have worried, it always seemed unoccupied except for my mates, I wondered why that was.

Entering the library still calling out, it soon became apparent he wasn’t there. I decided to leave before I got lost. I went to check the throne room instead, it was shown to be the doors I hadn’t entered several days ago.

As I approached the oak doors I hesitated, It was likely they were conducting a trial if they were in there and I didn’t really want to burst in on it. I knocked again just to be safe but nothing happened. Sighing I pushed open the doors, which was rather difficult as they were quite heavy. I slipped through and they slowly shut behind me. 

I stepped further into the room, which was empty aside from three thrones which sat on raised steps, fascinated I approached them and ran my fingers along with the dark wood. I remembered them, they were from my dream.

The middle one was Aro's eyes carved into the wood speaking for itself. The one to my left had what looked like fine strings of red crossing in various directions from the back to the ground and the ground to the armrests, I assumed it was Marcus’s from his gift of fate or bonds. The last one was adorned with what looked like a wolf's head sitting atop the crown with its pelt draped over the back of the throne.

I stepped back and admired them, they were astonishingly beautiful, I could picture each king sitting in them. Marcus would throw his legs over an arm crossed and coming across and disinterested, Caius would sit at an angle as though bored but he would be watching the scene in front of him showing his readiness to pounce his back straight and firm. Aro would have his legs crossed and he would be either leaning back observing everything or leaning forward with interest.

I couldn’t picture myself there, I wouldn’t even know what my throne would look like If I had one. Probably pictures of goldfish stuck on it, not very menacing.

Deciding I’d had enough with this room I turned to a door to Caius’s side of the throne room, it looked like it led to an antechamber. I walked lightly, still wary. I made it to the doorway, which had no door and stood a smile stretching onto my face at the sight.

All the Kings were around a table stacked with books, a glance at the one Caius had just angrily flipped onto the table read the words ‘Relationships for dummies’, It was unnecessarily sweet, seeing other books, one of food recipes and another on 'interests for the modern woman.' The books were stacked high and they were clearly engrossed in them. I was touched and it helped to see they were clearly just as nervous about the relationship as I was.

I watched them for a moment longer and was about to announce myself when Marcus looked up and gave me a gentle smile. Appearing before me, he took my hands, “Apologies Amore have you sort out company? We thought you would appreciate some time alone?”

Caius and Aro’s heads snapped up and they looked worried at Marcus’s words as though they had really been trying and now thought that he made the wrong choice. “No. I mean yes, I came looking for you guys, and I do appreciate some separation don’t get me wrong but actually I kinda want to spend some more time with you guys if that’s alright?”

A blink and Caius and Aro joined Marcus in front of me. “You are always welcome to come to us, Dearest,” Marcus brought my hands to his lips and I screwed up my eyes in embarrassment.

“You’ve got to stop doing things like that,” I mumbled

A spark flickered mischievously behind his eyes and he pulled me close so I stumbled into his chest, “Like what Amore?” He faked ignorance and purred the words, sending a subtle vibration through me which caused me to gasp.

Ducking under his arms I made my way to the table, standing at a corner. They joined me, sitting in the seats they had before and it was my turn to smirk, “Sooo,” I drawled gesturing to the books. Aro seemed to be looking for something to explain it away and Caius avoided eye contact, “I think it’s cute.” At Caius'soffended look I became a little more serious, “No, really, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who has no idea what they're doing. Although you guys did have each other.”

Marcus nodded, “Yes but we were all Vampires before we got into a relationship, I’m afraid I've quite forgotten how to be human.”

I shrugged, “There isn’t much to it, you aren't all that different. Definitely not mentally, aside from being the Apex predator and physically different, you’re just old.” Aro pulled a face and I laughed “Hey you’re the one insisting I’m the youngest.”

“You are the youngest,” Marcus seemed confused.

“No,” I corrected “You’re the youngest, I’m the second oldest.”

“Darling” Marcus purred “I’m older than the Anchor.”

“Wait what?” I turned to Aro excited, “Really?”

Caius appeared on my side, “And the Mirror.”

My jaw dropped, “That’s crazy. Okay you win, you’re old.” The thought hit me, “So you were never able to see your reflection in a mirror, that’s a little sad.”

Aro grinned, “I think some information you may believe about Vampires, isn’t entirely correct Blue dear.”

I narrowed my eyes and allowed Caius to pull me onto his lap. I was tense but relaxed far quicker than I thought once he started gently purring. “-Um, what about Garlic?”

“Delicious,” Marcus smirked at Caius’s antics

“Killed by stakes?”

Aro shook his head, “Only being pulled apart and set aflame can kill a vampire.”

Caius added on “And only a Vampire can pull apart another, as we are practically indestructible it takes a great deal of force.”

“Right… So no metal allergies?” I questioned

“No.” Aro denied, “Nore do we perish in sunlight, it does, however, have a peculiar effect on our skin. It makes us glisten and would reveal we are not human so we tend to stick in the shade or inside.”

“Okay, that’s fine, one last question.” Marcus gave a go-ahead gesture, “Do you turn into bats?”

Caius gave a wounded sound behind me while Aro shot a look of annoyance at Marcus who was grinning rather humorously. “You will find,” Breezed Aro, “That Marcus enjoys adding to the legends of our race and has an affinity for pranks, unfortunately, due to most’s perception of him he is never suspected.”

At that Marcus’s grin vanished and he examined his nails in mock innocence, “I don’t know what you’re talking about Aro.”

I slumped against Caius enjoying the banter that surrounded me, it had only been a few days and yet I already felt more comfortable here than I had in Seattle for 10 years.

The rest of the day I spent mucking about with my mates, I even let Marcus take me for a run on his back, unfortunately, I didn’t realise until I had jumped up and Aro cheerfully informed me he was 'quite' fast, just what a mistake I had made.

Despite my aversion to the speed, it was more the blurring of everything I didn’t like so, as long as I kept my head buried into his neck I was fine, and he didn’t seem to mind.

I eventually got around to asking Aro for the printer and took some time explaining my job to them, which was nice. I liked my job and it feels good to share a piece of my life with them.

It had been a good day and by the time I had finished dinner, I was worn out enough to retire to my room. I had planned on printing the documents already having left it long enough but I found myself crawling under the obsidian sheets and fast asleep within minutes.

\--IMMORTAL--

The Cullens were due to arrive today, two days before the Ball. Aro had come to tell Bella and myself when we were chatting in the gardens, we were invited to watch the trial but I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know the Cullens but I also didn’t know how I would react to witnessing my mates in their judge, jury, executioner setting. When Bella said she was going I figured if my mates were willing to let me see them in what was essentially their workplace, I would do them the courtesy of being there.

We stood waiting, hand in hand, I wasn’t sure if it was for comfort or restraint, judging by Bella’s look of stone, I hoped for Edward’s sake I was wrong about him. We had positioned ourselves in the corner of the big room, Felix was closer to the door in front of us and Demetri was close to the thrones on our side. Jane, Alec and Olly weren't watching, Olly having no interest, and Aro had told the twins to spend the day with their mate. I would need to check up on him later.

I was a little concerned with how there were only two guards were in the room and neither of them was on Caius’s side but they didn’t look worried, so, for now, I said nothing. I was pleased to see the Kings did grace their thrones the way I had envisioned, aside from Aro who was standing at the top of the steeps, waiting.

We didn’t have too long before a woman I hadn't met yet, dressed in a vibrant red, pushed the doors open and led through 7 individuals, I recognise 6 of them, the last one I assumed was Esme, Bella had said she was Carlisle’s wife.

Red dress disappeared and shut the doors behind her, while Aro gave a cheerful greeting, not fake, but his eyes held the promise of darker things. “Hello, my dear Cullens. I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting you all yet, although this is a rather unfortunate circumstance for introductions…”

I had watched as Edward had honed in on Bella the minute he entered the room, for the moment he was just staring at us, but when he caught my eye his lip curled in a snarl. Apparently, he blamed me for their presence here, or maybe he blamed me for Bella’s, that would be more accurate.

Carlisle bowed his head respectfully to Aro. “Aro, Caius, Marcus, it is good to see you again, no matter the circumstances. This is my family, Rosalie, Emmet, Jasper, Alice, My wife Esme and Edward.” Each one bowed their head when he introduced them although Edward’s was clearly done with gritted teeth.

Aro, seemingly spirits lifted at the words from his old friend, came down the stairs to be on the same level as the Cullens. “Carlisle, you’ve been summoned here today as it has come to our attention, you may have knowingly left alive one who learned of our existence-”

Edward interrupted “-There is no law against that. The law is we must not expose ourselves to the humans, none of us did that, Bella figured it out on her own.” Carlisle shot his son a sharp look which was ignored.

“Ahh-” Aro wandered closer to Edward, who had faced the Volturi fully now, “That is true, dear Bella did inform us of this, however, I wasn’t finished. I’ll need to have proof obviously, as Bella was able to block me from her thoughts, remarkable really.” He said the last bit with a glance to us, shooting a wink at Bella, who relaxed, I gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Carlisle took the lead again, “I’m not aware we could have done anything else wrong, Aro?”

Aro seemed to get a bit more serious “We as Vampires, have laws created by _us_ the Volturi to ensure and protect our existence. _However_ -” He hissed the last word “Even before we came to rule there were things understood, unspoken laws of our people, of mates.”

Carlisle opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a loud snarl from Caius “Silence!”

Aro continued on as though nothing had happened, “One’s mate is the most sacred bond a Vampire could ever have, you know this Carlisle, and as apparently do most of your coven, apart from Edward it would seem.”

Edward snarled “I’ve found my mate!”

I saw Marcus raise a lazy eyebrow in his direction and suddenly Edward lunged “You lier!”

Before I even knew what was happening Felix had restrained Edward and Aro was tutting. I turned to Bell, “What?”

“Edward can read minds, but only surface thoughts, he must have heard Marcus saying I wasn’t his mate. I don’t think he liked it.” She whispered to me.

Huh, well how ‘bout that.

“Carlisle,“ Aro mocked electing to ignore the thrashing and muffled Edward for the moment, “It appears that animal blood had affected your smell, Bella is not Edward's mate. Luckily for all of you, as if she had been, the abandoning of her would have been a grave sin on your part.”

“Not that it wasn’t” I muttered to her, giving her hand another gentle squeeze.

Surprisingly it was the one called Rosalie who had an outburst next, She turned to Carlisle with a look of rage, “She wasn’t even his mate?!”

“Rosalie-” He tried to calm her but she wasn’t having any of it.

“No! I told you, I said she was a danger to our family, that we were risking everything by letting her into our lives, and then when Edward deemed her _suddenly_ a risk we all had to up and leave!”

Aro was watching the exchange almost amused.

“Rosalie, it wasn’t like that and you know it, we did think Bella was his mate and keeping them apart would have been a crime-”

Rosalie snarled and to my shock, as well as Bella's, she turned to us and spoke directly to Bella. “Bella I’m sorry. You know I never liked you, and I won’t pretend I did, but I never wanted this life for you, I’m sorry we let you in and then shut you out.”

There were a few nods of agreement and apologies from the others before Bella responded, “It’s alright, I thought he was my mate too.”

Caius scoffed “Yes but you do not have the advantage of being able to smell if he is or isn’t”

Aro resumed centre stage. “Carlisle you mentioned an important point. It is a crime to knowingly participate in the obstruction of a mates union, should they be of age. I wonder then, why my mate has knowledge of you and yet you told us nothing of her existence?”

I winced, I really didn’t want to get anyone in trouble, but I didn’t know the laws and so I would remain objective on it, taking the experience as a learning one hopefully rather than a personal one.

Aro extended his hand and Carlisle took it, not wasting time but obviously a bit resigned. There was a moment of tense silence when all the Cullens waited with bated breath, even Edward seemed to have stopped struggling.

Aro pulled away and his face wasn’t happy but he didn’t look angry either so I figured it was an alright sign. Aro brought his hands to his lips in a prayer-like motion, I noticed Marcus narrow his eyes and would have missed it if I hadn’t been looking, it was almost as if they were talking to each other.

Finally reaching a decision, Aro spread his arms, “You are free to go Cullens.” His voice dropped into the unmistakable tone of a threat “Carlisle you are very lucky that I read your intentions and your ignorance, that Animal blood really had done a number on your senses, although you suspected you did not actively hide her from us and as such you have broken no laws.”

“Thank you Aro-”

“-As for the other one, you are very lucky, very lucky indeed.” I frowned, another one, there was someone else Carlisle had tried to keep from their mate, I wondered what his problem was with the concept.

The Cullens begin to exit and Felix released Edward, who snarled at Aro, “And what of Bella?”

Aro cocked his head to the side “What of her?”

“She isn’t your mate, we will take her home-”

“Ah ha ha ha.” I snarled at him, “In your dreams mate, you’ll have to get through me first!”

I stepped in front of her, my mind flashing to all the pain Bella had experienced at his expense, hoping he saw all of it, he went to step towards me but was blocked within a blink by Marcus. Jesus, he was fast.

There was a moment of tension before Edward tried talking directly to Bella. “Bella, come back with us.”

“Why would I?” Bella stated coldly.

“Because of Charlie? He’s your father.”

“He thinks we’re on Holiday, which I guess we still are.”

Edward seemed to restrain himself from rolling his eyes, “Bella look around you, they won’t let you leave.”

“Yes, they will.” My voice left no room for debate, and a quick glance at Aro and Caius faces showed they weren't about to argue.

Carlisle broke the stalemate, “Edward, come on, Bella has made her decision.” Gritting his teeth he walked to the doors.

Aro called out before they left “East wing, Cullens, the Ball is in two days, if you wish to purchase appropriate clothing wear there is a fantastic shop within the city, Demetri is quite fond of it, he will show you if you ask.”

Once the door was shut again Aro was in front of me and gazing intently into my eyes, I felt Bella let go of my hand and saw Demetri and Felix lead her away. Caius joined Aro and I felt another hand pull my hair away from my neck, Marcus.

“You gotta stop doing the whole supper speed thing, I can’t keep up,” I complained with a nervous laugh.

Caius' eyes fluttered as he took a deep breath in, as though my very scent calmed him. “We’ll carry you if you need.”

“That doesn't make much se- Whoa!” I clutched Caius tight as he picked me up and lifted me above his head spinning me around. I shut my eyes and chanted ‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.”

He finally put me down and I stumbled into him and the smart ass muttered “Not quite.”

Aro grinned, “So Amore, what did you think? I have to say it was rather tame.” He almost seemed disappointed by that which I wasn’t sure how that made me feel.

“You do this thing where you go from serious to delighted, like a yo-yo and it’s... nice” I finished lamely unable to bring myself to say hot out loud to vampires who predated Shakespeare by a very long time. He seemed to know what I meant though because his eyes darkened and he stepped forward causing me to stumble into Marcus who wrapped his arms around me with a chuckle.

“That isn’t quite what I meant Amore.” Aro purred, taking another predatory step forward. I cursed myself for forgetting the question and tried desperately to remember it as he took another step. Oh yeah “I thought your gift is exceptionally handy in the courtroom, especially for a fair trial.”

Aro seemed to lose his demeanour at that appearing solum, stepping back a fraction. I frowned, wanting to tell him he could touch me but fearful, Athenodora’s words coming back to me, Aro could feel the pain of those he touched, it rang in my head and I thought of asking if it was true but the same stab of fear shot through me, I couldn’t, I couldn’t. “I want to touch you Aro but-”

“But you wish to tell us your thoughts and memories in your own time?”

I nodded falling to look at the floor disheartened, “We can still touch without my gift Amore. If you trust that I will not invade your mind without permission.”

I looked up “Really?” I couldn’t help the smile

“Yes Blue, I promise I will not betray your trust-”

Wasting no more time walking forward I shot him a grin before throwing myself into his arms and nuzzling his neck. “Aro!”

His laugh cut into a pained groan as I wrapped my legs around him, I pulled back still clinging to him, trying to figure out what was wrong. I thought humans couldn’t hurt Vampires. The dark look in his eyes was back and I felt heat shoot through me as I realised what had happened.

I now had to make a decision, jump down, or not? It was taken from me when Caius sidled up behind me purring. 

“Fuck,” I hissed. A deep chuckle to the right meant Marcus had joined as well. I saw his hand reach to bury in my hair and I grabbed it bringing it to my mouth, repeating his actions from yesterday, he sucked in air through his teeth which I was pretty sure he didn’t need.

I squeezed my thighs around Aro's hips, he hissed, but I pushed up settling higher so I was leaning down to touch his forehead with mine, landing a kiss on his nose I abruptly released and dropped to the floor. Turning on my heels to jump, press a kiss to Caius’s cheek before striding past them to the exit with a call over my shoulders. “I also have a job to do, sorry guys.” With a finally cheeky wave to their slightly stunned but amused faces, I headed back to my room.

\--IMMORTAL--

“Why is it so hard to be nice to you?” I nearly sniggered as I walked into a conversation between Felix and Demetri.

The flamboyant Italian responded in a peculiar fashion “Oh do tell me more.”

“No,” Felix huffed “This is not- I’m not seducing you. You’re annoying.”

Demitri gave a fake gasp.

Felix narrowed his eyes, “Die.”

“I’m alre-”

“I know! I know! Dear god I know!” He clearly regretted saying it instantly.

Deciding to intervene while I could, I spoke up “Um Felix or Demetri?”

They turned at the same time and I saw Demitri split into what I assumed was his grin but looked an awful lot like a smirk, while Felix gave a slight smile. 

“Yes, milady?” Demetri answered

“I was wondering if you would be able to tell the kings I’ll be busy for the next few days?” I hurried to add on, “I’m not trying to tell you what to do, I just thought by the time I made it back to the throne room they might have super speed away…”

He gave a laugh waving me off, while Felix raised his eyebrows in amusement, “Milady, you are perfectly within your rights to order us around, you are the queen.”

“Uh-huh. Right, well, please do it then?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about being a ‘queen’ didn't really suit me. Demetri gave a bow and Felix gave a sigh at the other Italian, before they left and I went to my room, finally printing my reports and getting started, the killer wasn’t working on my schedule and as much as I wanted to spend more time with my mates, who were turning out to be quite fun, I had work to do.

\--IMMORTAL--

“Hello.” I looked up from the ground, a habit I had yet to break when walking, and saw two of the Cullens, Alice and Jasper if I remembered correctly.

“Hi.” The pixie one extended her hand in greeting and I took it, deciding to introduce myself realising they probably didn’t know my name. “I’m Blue.”

The male gave a slight bow, “I’m Jasper ma’am and this is my wife Alice.”

“Blue, that's a pretty name. I was wondering, well, we were wondering if you’d let us see Bella, we wanted to apologise. Especially me, because… well, we were friends and-”

I nodded cutting her off. I’d heard from Bella that she was close with Alice, and if Bella hadn’t been so distraught with Edward leaving I think Alice’s departure might have put her in a similar state, “Sure, I mean I’m not her keeper, but I reckon Bella needs a good scream.” With that, I turned on my heels and began to lead them to the gardens, where Bella seemed to always be found.

After I dumped them in Bella’s lap with a snarky ‘good luck’ I returned back to my original destination of food, heading for the kitchens.

Walking into the kitchens I was rather surprised to find, Demetri, Felix, Olly, Jane and Alec, who made a space for me at their table not stoping their discussion. I grabbed some bread and made a sandwich before sitting myself into the space on the kitchen stool, and listened I ate.

Olly always a delight seemed to be spouting absolute nonsense which his mates were trying back him up on. “-Cops are ghosts, that’s why they can’t climb.” 

Felix looked exasperated, “Ghosts aren't real.”

“But if they were, they wouldn’t be able to climb,” Alec pointed out.

Jane nodded “They’d fall through the stairs.”

Demetri narrowed his eye “Why just the stairs, why not the ground?”

“No,” Olly snaped “You climb onto roofs by the outside walls. No stairs. Police can’t climb walls, so they are ghosts, cause ghosts fall through walls.” He seemed rather proud of himself for his analysis and the smug look the twins were wearing was rather adorable.

“Hey,’ I frowned at him “I’m a cop.”

He folded his arms in mock annoyance, “No silly you’re a detective.”

Felix raised an eyebrow “That is a cop.”

Olly shook his head refusing to believe it, probably as he’d seen me scale a wall before when I’d left the key in our apartment.

Demetri abruptly stood drawing all eyes to him. “Oliver. Come with me we must be gone.”

Jane narrowed her eyes at his outstretched hand and suddenly he let out a yep and withdrew it. “Why?” Demanded Alec.

Demetri shot a pleading look to Felix who simply picked Olly up and sat him on his shoulders, much to the twin's protest. “Because the masters want him dressed nicely for the ball, we have to get his measurements taken, I’m afraid we’ll have to steal him for a while.”

Olly seemed delighted and proceeded to squeeze his legs around Felix’s neck like a horse shouting “Away!” as he went.

Seeing the twins grudgingly allow it, they sped off and I noticed Demetri bolt after them with excitement in his eyes, I didn’t envy the kid.

I found myself alone eating my sandwich with two kids who were probably hundreds of years older than myself who were somehow involved with my kid. I narrowed my eyes at them deciding to get some answers from someone other than my mates.  
  


“As Olly and myself are rather new to this whole mate thing, you want to fill me in on some of the aspects, because I for one, am a little confused at your relationship.” I gestured between the both of them.

Jane answered me first, “We are biological siblings, yes, however, the stigma that surrounds a family relationship centres around the offspring it would create, as we are Vampires and therefore infertile the stigma tends to lose it’s meaning.” You know... that made sense, in a way there really was no reason for them not to be together, if they loved each other like that.

Alec took over “My sister and I found out we were mates after we were turned, we were always close which was another reason our village tried to burn us-”

“-Say what?” I gave them a horrified look, “Burn you.”

Jane gave a grin, “Yes, for witchcraft, they always thought we were rather strange, but master Aro found us and turned us before we were killed.” Huh, guess that explained the nickname ‘witch twins’. 

Alec continued, “Master Marcus told us we had another in our bond but as they were not a vampire we could not tell who they were until we meet them. We are thankful you brought Oliver to us, and he told us that you saved him from his own hell as well.”

I gave a sad smile “I didn’t really do much in bringing him here, he rather goes where he pleases.”

“Yes, we’ve noticed” Jane muttered

That made me laugh, I could imagine the stress they had been under as Vampires used to being the fasts thing on earth and yet Olly could disappear within a blink, probably giving their hundred-year-old selves multiple heart attacks.” I was glad he had them, they clearly cared for his wellbeing which was all I wanted for him.

I was about to take my leave when I remembered the question I kept forgetting to ask, “Oh you guys wouldn’t happen to know if a Vampire is able to influence a human into thinking that they are mates? Because I’ve been told people act illogically infatuated with their mates, to an extent, but Bella-”

“She was most likely dazzled by the Cullen boy.” I paused feeling a little weirded out that Jane who looked _very_ young, was calling someone boy.

“Dazzled?”  
  


Alec nodded, “Vampires can use a dazzling effect on humans to make them ‘dazzled’ into going with them into a dark ally or someplace the Vampire can feed on them, it’s possible Cullen did so without his knowledge, however, a prolonged effect of it can lead to dependant actions on both sides. Not that it’s been studied much, but Master Aro likes to know as much as he can about everything so anything more you want to know, I would ask him.”

I thanked them and walked back to my room, mind buzzing. It sounded right, and it fit the situation, everyone thought they were mates because they were acting like mates, Bella was thrown into a sort of withdrawal once he left, which also aligned with the hypnosis connections found in her brain. It was troubling to realise Vampire had such power over humans, let alone the super-strength, speed and pretty much everything else.

One I made it to my room, I pulled open the two books given to me and began to look through them, trying to find more on Vampire history rather than personal connections between Vampires, or history of the castle I was living in. I gave up once it became apparent there was nothing like what I was looking for and went back to my work.

\--IMMORTAL--

Some point later on during the night I grinned triumphantly as I pressed call on the Captain number, having reached a conclusion on the case.

“-Come on Captain you’ve gotta trust me on this.”

“I do trust you Blue, but you know the court is never going to sanction that. You need proof then you can get the medical records, there absolutely zero chance they would allow you reports from multiple people, let alone hospitals.”

I sighed. It had been a long shot but I also knew it was our only lead so far. It had occurred to me that based on my profiling of the killer, he was either a schizophrenic or mentally challenged in some significant way. Which I believed was caused by a physical injury, due to the sudden decision of murder. It was obviously nothing to go on, but adding in his delusion which I believed occurred during his recovery, be it recovery for the already active schizophrenia, or from a physical injury, most likely in the brain. Theoretically, we could cross-reference patients that had been seen within the last three years for a brain injury and see which hospitals within Washington, specifically the dodgy suburbs where he killed, had played Charlie and the Chocolate factory for a ‘movie night’ or something along those lines.

“Blue it’s just never going to work, most hospitals leave the patients watching a channel on a Tv station, the killer very well could have seen the name of the movie and hooked on to that.”

“Sir if you could send some officers to just question the hospitals in the -”

“No Blue. My officers are already spread thin with the changes being made around, here. I’m afraid you are going to have to find another lead.”

He hung up and I swore, letting the phone fall onto my bed and shoving my face in my hands. I knew it was a terrible lead but it truly was the only one we had, forensics had found nothing of value which was practically unheard of, the guy was a ghost.

I knew the answer lay somewhere in the hospitals. He had been in one, at some point I knew it, the problem was there were 108 hospital or medical care facilities in Washington, and I had nothing to narrow them down.

Forensics found nothing, that was another thing that was bothering me. How could forensics find nothing, Wonka was prepared, methodical but also passionate in his crimes, how did he not make mistakes, not just a lack of mistakes but purposefully misleading us? There had been fingerprints found on all the victims, all different and the police had checked them out, most had alibis and the ones that didn’t, were in custody when Wonka hit again.

I pulled up the forensics reports on all the prints again and spread them out on the floor side by side. I jumped up onto my bed so I could see them together from a height. Hoping down I got to work printing out a map and sticking it to the wall, from then I marked each location the fingerprint victims lived, in another colour, I marked where all the victims from Wonka’s kills had been found and drew a line to their homes.

I stood back and looked at the image, it was lateral, it branched out from a space where there were no murders, I’d done something previously with only the murdered victims, but adding in the fingerprints he’d stolen provided fewer gaps and eliminated the need to wait for more bodies to show up. I let my finger brush the town it all branched from; Davenport. Davenport only had one hospital, Lincoln Hospital.

I picked up the phone from my bed and punched in the hospital's number.

“Hello you’ve reached Lincoln Hospital, how can I help you?”

“Um, no one's hurt-” I thought I’d better mention that first, “I’m actually detective Adams from Seattle Police department, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?”

“I’m afraid we aren't able to give out patients files without a signed warrant from a judge.”  
  


“Yes I know, I actually wanted to talk about the daily routines staff employ for patients that have less than fully functioning abilities, more specifically head or brain trauma?”

She seemed to be thinking it over and I heard a sound of movement before she was a little clearer, apparently taking the conversation somewhere more private, “Yes I'm, able to do that. Generally, we give patients set meal times as much as we can, routine is fairly important to us.”

“Right and are you routine with entertainment? For example, would a bedridden patient be allowed to watch a movie or television at certain times?”

“The patients are able to choose when they watch and what they watch, however those who are unable to choose will often have the screen left on.”

I thought my next question over carefully, “Without divulging any patients privacy are you able to tell me if within the last three years there has been a single patient that either themselves, watched a movie repeatedly or had the same one on repeat playing for them, specifically the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate factory?”

“We have a policy that, repetition is not allowed to occur, patients may watch a movie a few times but watching the same thing consistently especially in a brain-damaged state could cause harm.”

“Right-”

“However, I wouldn’t have thought of it before, but there was a patient would request the book be read to him every night, I hadn't thought it strange at the time, I never did it myself not my ward, but Allison would talk about how she always had to read the same book to that patient.”

“Thank you so much-”  
  


She interrupted with a warning in her voice, “If you are going to get a warrant, know this, the patient was not in the ward for brain trauma or injuries.”

I paused feeling thrown “Were they in the mental health facility?”

“I cannot say.”

“Well I appreciate what you’ve done for me, hopefully, we can acquire a warrant and get the answers we need.”

“Good luck detective.”

“You as well ma’am.”

I hung up and a quick google search up brought the hospital website, I went onto the page and clicked on staff, Immediately finding a girl called Allison, seeing she was working at the hospital from before 3 years ago I clicked on her, hoping to see if there were any patient recovery stories. There wasn’t, but a look at her special qualifications and area of nursing answered quite a few questions. The Burns Ward.

So that was why forensics had a hard time, the culprit likely had no hair, and if enough of the body had been burn, skin graphs might have had to come from someone else, which explained the skin particles found on the bodies not matching our killer, I had thought he left them purposefully like the fingerprints, scattered red herrings everywhere… but it was his skin, just from someone else.

My eyes lit up. The skin can't have been much different though, skin graphs were like organ transplants they needed to match in some way otherwise the body will reject the tissue and destroy it. Fascinating and thankfully creating another lead.

I pulled my emails up and sent one off the Depika, I hadn’t been given the information on the DNA match as it had been declared a dead end, but if we managed to get the donor to give their medical records, we could potentially narrow down the skin colour, and genetic makeup of our killer, along with the medical records from Lincoln Hospital, we just might catch them before they kill again.

Once telling Depika to forward me all the stuff on the DNA match I closed the computer and took a breath before calling Derek again.

“Adams you better not be ringing too-”

I interrupted him, “I found a lead the court will sign.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, I know the place he’s residing, a place he feels comfortable and safe, he’s venturing out and killing-”

“I thought we already tried mapping the bodies, there weren't enough to show anything?”

“Yes, that's what we thought, but I added in the fingerprint, the red herrings, he left for us, he had to go and get the fingerprints right?”

“I’m impressed Blue.”

“There’s more,” I hurred on “It’s Devenport, and the only hospital in Devenport is Lincoln Hospital-”

“Please tell me you didn’t call.”

“I called-”

“Damn it Blue!”

“Have a little faith Captin-” I snapped “I was only following up on entertainment procedures with all extreme care patients, and inquired about any oddities associated with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

“You found something I presume.”

“Yes, apparently there was a patient that fit the time frame who requested the book be read to him ‘all the time’, she mentioned he wasn’t in the head trauma care ward, so I did some more digging, the lady she named as the one who had been requested to read the book, works in the severe burns unit. I’m thinking our guy fooled forensics with his lack of own DNA, but skin graphs have-”

“-To be a match." He breathed out in awe "Alright Blue, good job, I’ll get Depika on it, or have you already don that?”

“Yes sir, already sent.”

“Should have known. I’ll send out for the Warrant, you write your report with the evidence and send it over, hopefully, it’ll be enough for the judge.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Blue.”

“Yes, Captin?”

“I don’t want that report before Tomorrow you here me?”

“Captian-” I gave a week protest,

“No Blue, do you know what godforsaken hour this is?” I glanced at my watch and held in my shock, it was the morning, nearly 5, I didn’t realise how late I’d gone, not that it wasn’t normal but I’d called that poor nurse. “Not till tomorrow Adams, get some sleep, rest. The judge will have to process my request before they need the report, so no one is waiting on you.”

“Alright, thanks, Captain.”

We hung up and I stretched, not wanting to sleep, but feeling a little better since Derek said they wouldn’t be waiting on me. I wrote the report anyway. A reminder of all the children killed spread across my floor, it wasn’t like I had anything better to do, and I set the email to send the minute it switched over from midnight, not wanting to be the reason another child never came home.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to SophieIsCoolIGuess Thank you so much for commenting, made my day :)
> 
> Also, guys from now on we are earning that rating, some potentially triggering content in the following chapters, and smut.

* * *

It hit 7:00 AM and a knock sounded at my door, I opened it to Bella. “Hi Bells, did you want to hang out today?” I felt a bit guilty since we’d come to Volterra. I'd hardly spent any time with Olly or Bella.

“Not like this.” she groaned

I gave her an odd look, “What do you mean?”

“Heidi says she’s taking us dress shopping for the Ball tonight, Alice and Rosalie are coming too.”

“That’s tonight? Wait who’s Heidi?” I really wasn’t rested enough to be bombarded with surprises.

“You remember the lady who led the Cullens into their trial? The one in the red dress?”

  
  


“Oh yeah,” I muttered

“That’s her.”

We were stopped from any further conversation by all previously mentioned Vampires appearing in the doorway. Alice let out a delighted sound, “Oh come on you two! Let’s go!” She ran off after that at super speed so I presumed we were going to be carried.

Heidi opened her arms with a question in her eyes and my suspicions were confirmed. _Great_.

Thankfully Heidi didn’t drop me or smack my head into anything, I really should have more faith in the Vampires but knowing my own clumsiness and having spent a good amount of time with Bella, I had a few trust issues.

We were placed down within a shop and I was immediately captivated by the beauty of it. The shop was clearly for fancy events, with dark wood as the structural beams, running e width of the room with gold fixtures. Tall rails made up isles upon which hundreds of suits and dresses were hung, occasionally at the beginning of an aisle was a dress displayed on a manikin and I could see down at the back of the shop circular racks spread the dresses out more with mannequins sitting on top like a cake. It was beautiful.

Bella was in much the same state as me but the Vampire females appeared to have been here enough times to not find it so captivating. Heidi shuffled us over to a wall beside the changing rooms and then the three Vampires were speeding around pulling clothes from the rails. Clearly this was a place they didn’t need to worry about revealing what they were.

Bella and I ended up having to stand while each of them held up a dress for both of us and the other two would decide whether it was worth trying on or not.

It was a long process and even after several dresses had gotten past the last stage they were hung on a separate rack and they would continue looking.

At some point, Bella had decided to drag over a chair and sit on it in between waiting for the other girls to appear. The wait between trying on dresses got longer and longer and I decided to head into one of the isles myself. 

It wasn’t that we were being picky, frankly, I could have worn just about any dress in the shop and would have felt comfortable doing it. Which was odd considering I’d never worn a dress willingly in my life, yet for some reason, the thought of doing it for my mates made slipping into the first one easy. After that, I hadn’t needed to talk myself up at all, it was almost a pleasant experience trying on the dresses, I felt a bit like the queen I keep being called.

My fingers brushed along the fabrics of skirts as I wandered aimlessly I couldn’t help wondering how much, whichever dress I got, was going to cost me, sure I had a bit of money saved up, but I had used quite a lot on the trip over to Italy. Heidi had told me not to worry but the fact none of the clothing had any form of price tag did nothing to ease the feeling I felt, not to mention I wasn’t about to let Bella pay for hers.

My eye caught a flash of orange and I immediately gravitated towards it. The orange stood out not because it was especially bright but because there were so many, red, black, blue, green and various light shades, I had yet to actually see an orange one.

I carefully pulled the coat hanger out and held the dress in from me so I could see it in full. It was beautiful, which was a lousy way to describe it but the first word that came to mind. It wasn’t the same solid orange all over but gradient slightly to darker and lighter tones as the fabric twisted and made up the bodice. I wasn’t sure what fabric it was, not silk. I knew that much.

Carefully folding it over my arm so I didn’t drag it on the floor I walked back to the changing room finding Bella looking at me expectantly. I Grinned and held up the dress for her to see. The gasp was all I needed to know she thought the same, heading into the dressing room I carefully pulled it on, spinning around to look at the mirrors surrounding me. I couldn't help the smile that broke out.

I left the changing room intending to show Bella but was faced with three Vampires as well.

“Oh my god, it’s perfect!” Alice squealed

Rosalie nodded “You look very beautiful,”

Heidi turned to me, “Do you think this is the one you want? Or do you want to continue trying on more?”

I glanced at Bella who gave a thumbs up, “No, I think I would like this one, thank you.”

Heidi called out “Antonio,” Another Vampire appeared and gave a bow. Really I shouldn’t have been surprised it made sense but honestly seeing a Vampire in a setting that wasn’t a castle was a little, odd.

He began fussing around me, apparently making sure the dress fit right. He put in a few pins which made me very nervous, before telling me to take it off, “It will be ready by noon, your highness.”

“Thank you, that's very fast to alter a dress isn’t it?”

He gave a proud smile “My Queen you are in Antonio’s shop, I have provided clothing for the Volturi balls for hundreds of years, only the finest and best service for my good customers.”

I grinned back at him, his attitude was sort of adorable, he clearly took pride in his work and looked around at the racks of clothing, I knew he definitely should.

Alice brought my attention back to Bella as Rosalie held up the latest pick for Bella, “Oh my goodness Rosalie, it’s perfect for you Bella!”

I had to agree, the two-toned green dress made of velvet on the top was something I could definitely see Bella wearing. She thanked Roaslie quietly and went to put it on.

She came out with a sheepish smile, “I love it.” I nodded, yea it was definitely the one for her.

I turned back to Heidi suddenly remembering with shock “I didn’t grab my bag! Would you mind taking me back, or going to my room and grabbing my wallet, I left it there-”

She cut me off with a chuckle “Darl you need not worry about paying, the Kings have already covered it. You are their guests after all.”

“I what-” I couldn’t let them do that, it was bad manners right?

As though sensing my protest Rosalie spoke up “Mates like to provide for each other, you no doubt, will do things for them, but they have waited millennia for you. Let them do this.”

I gave in, it was definitely bad manners to insist on paying when it had already been done, besides I really doubted I could afford it.

After Bella and I were back in our normal clothes we were taken back to my room, I had offered to help the others choose their dresses but they had already gone a few days prior. Bella collapsed on my bed with a groan.

I snorted, moving to check my emails, nothing new. I flopped beside her, “I wonder what we’re supposed to do now?” It was still before midday and the Ball started at midnight, more than twelve hours to kill.

“Did you sleep last night?”

“Bella” I whined

She gave me a firm look “Your mates may be Vampires, but you need to sleep like a normal human, what if your body just collapsed in the middle of the Ball tonight? The Queen everyone had come to see just passed out on-”

“-Okay! I get it! But my body has never betrayed me in such a way, I think I know my limits thanks very much.”

“But I doubt you’ve ever been quite so active on no sleep.”

It was true and as much as I hated to admit it, I probably should rest. It wasn’t even that I feared nightmares, I didn’t actually get many, it was more the act of vulnerability sleep forced, I hated being unaware, but since coming to the castle I did truly believe I was in a safe place, it was definitely easier to sleep here. “Alright.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but not yet, we have heaps of time to kill and I want to go see Olly, you coming?”

She followed after me as I stood from the bed and headed to the kitchens. We looked around there and found the staff looking rather sickly, which I put down to a rush for the Ball, but no Olly. Bella took me to check the gardens as I hadn't actually been there yet, it was beautiful and I could see why it had become Bella’s spot, but still no Olly.

We found Demetri and asked him, “Have you seen Olly or the twins?”

He shook his head, seeming in as much of a rush as everyone else in the castle was at the moment, “Not young Oliver, however, his mates are with Marcus helping preparations for the Ball.” He left immediately after and we were stumped.

As I had heard Marcus and Aro were busy I decided to take Bella to Caius, I had noticed that the more guarded king had been rather protective of Bella during Edwards trial and I knew she needed some friends.

We checked his room first then the library. It was incredibly frustrating how big the castle was, but I figured probably less so for Vampires who could basically teleport. We were about to go back to my room when I remembered Caius had mentioned he had another room that he used for his paintings, he was probably in there.

It was located along the same hallway as the library so we made it fairly quickly, the door was cracked open and I pushed it carefully, not wanting to disturb or startle him if he was in the middle of painting something.

I peered inside and was startled to find Olly sitting on Caius’s lap as my Mate held a brush and worked on a piece. Another look I realised Olly was cheerfully gossiping away and holding up one of his polaroids he had taken, which Caius appeared to be paining. It was adorable and made my heart clench at the way Caius was engaging with someone so important to me.

“-and Blushy said ‘Well why don’t we have some fun here then?’-” He did a mockery of my voice which I heard a muffled snort from Bella for “-and then Bumblebee went outside the car and walked all the way over to the road cones, ‘cause they were in our way, so we couldn’t go to the aquarium, and she put a cone on her head!”

I blushed realising he was telling my mate of the time I had encouraged us to fight each other with road cones on our heads, rather like fighting with a sword, but with our heads whilst being unable to see and in the rain. It had been a disaster but had wiped the disappointed looks off my kids' faces and was very fun.

A laugh came from Caius and my heart fluttered again, Olly continued to tell him stories and I pulled the door back where it had been. Bella and I decided to leave them to bond, not wanting to intrude, I followed Bella out to the gardens and sat by her in front of a grave.

“Who's is that do you think?”

“It's Didyme’s grave.”

I gave her a startled look “Wait, Didyme’s?” She nodded, “That makes sense I suppose, she was Aro’s sister.”

“How do you know that?” She questioned

“Because I read up on the history of my coven.”

“Your coven?”

I paused, noticing the slip up myself, “I suppose I’ve already made my decision.”

Bella looked a little upset but not surprised. “You aren't coming back to Forks are you?”

I pulled at the grass around my feet, “I’ll miss it for sure, Forks grew on me, but I don’t think so, I like it here and I feel…” I trailed off unsure how to describe it.

“Home?” She suggested

I didn’t answer her but she didn’t need it, “Are you leaving?” I asked instead.

She looked torn, “I have to go home to my dad, I really love Charlie, but other than him there is nothing for me in Forks, maybe I’ll come back here once I graduate?”

“Is there something for you here? I don’t want you forcing yourself to be here just because it’s a place that makes me happy after you graduate you might want to travel elsewhere.”

A tear fell down her cheek and I pulled her into, “I’m not sure I could be happy anywhere.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, I didn’t know how to comfort her, it wasn’t fair I got to spend the rest of my life, or eternity if I choose with three people that loved me, and Bella didn’t even get one. “I’ll always love you, Bella, always, no matter what.”

  
  


She didn't answer but held me a little tighter. I sat like that for a while just watching Didyme's grave and stroking Bella’s hair.

\--IMMORTAL--

Felix had appeared at some point and informed us we had one more shop to visit before we got some rest. He'd given me a pointed look which I returned with an offended one, and then began to get ready.

He led us out of the garden and through the streets, I was thankful we were not being carried again, we didn't have to walk far before we entered another shop, this one much smaller and more closed. As soon as we stepped in the door I knew why we were there, only one thing was on all the shelves, masks.

"It's a masquerade ball?" Bella questioned

Felix nodded, "Feel free to look around, most masks are very personal, so If you wish to have one made that's fine too, but look around first."

I nodded and followed Bella who began searching the shelves, no doubt for green to match her dress.

I was looking but my mind was picturing what the Kings masks would look like, all of the ones in front of me ranged from simple eye covers to entire headpieces, I personally prefer a less extravagant design, not really liking feathers or a stick to hold the mask, that would be annoying when dancing...

I stopped dead as a thought hit me. I didn't know how to dance.

Felix noticed my face getting paler and inquired "Are you alright my lady?"

I turn to him "Felix I can't dance!"

Bella heard me and a look of horror crossed her features as well, apparently, she hadn't thought about that either.

Felix only gave a smile, "My lady, the Volturi Balls, while grand, it is not necessary to dance. However I do feel your mates would wish for at least one from you, I can get Demetri and myself to teach you the basics when we return if you wish."

"Yes please."

Bella nodded "I hadn't even thought about dancing-" She muttered the last bit "-I'm way too clumpy."

I scoffed, grabbing her elbow and heading further into the shelves. "Nonsense, Bells, you and I are gonna nail it, with Felix's guidance, we'll be the best dancers there. Ain't that right Felix?"

He threw a wink at us as we rounded the next aisle "With my guidance, of course, miladies." I chuckled and continued our search.

Bella found hers first, it was apparently a swan styled mask, Felix knowing more than us, and green. Perfect for Bella.

I didn't find mine until Bella let out a triumphant sound and held up a simple yet elegant golden mask. 

I grinned, "That's the one."

Felix paid for them and walked us back to the gardens before going to get Demetri and starting our lessons.

It was incredibly hard with two Vampires correcting your dancing, to actually focus and get it right, but after several hours of practice, we were decent enough to not make fools of ourselves at the Ball. I had asked Demetri to get Olly as well so he could practice but I had been informed that Marcus was currently teaching him.

I was out of time, with 7 hours until the Ball, I'd been shoved into my room to sleep and would be woken at 10:00PM giving Heidi 2 hours to make sure I was ready before being herded off to the Ball.

It was rather nerve-racking the longer the day dragged on, I was beginning to get a little more stressed every hour that passed, never having been to anything anywhere as fancy before in my life. The closest thing to a Ball I'd attended was a work dinner which I had snuck out on after giving the update to the department and before the dinner had even been served.

I took a deep breath and crawled into the bed. It would be fine.

\--IMMORTAL--

I woke to a knock, and Heidi came in already dressed. She looked stunning in a slim blood-red dress and her hair was loose in chocolate waves. "You look amazing!"

She gave me a gentle smile before turning me into the bathroom. Closing the door and turning on the tapes of the bath, she added some soap which I saw was cinnamon, the same scent usually used to wash my hair. At my questioning look, she explained, "I noticed your shampoo this morning and found this for you."

"Oh, thank you." I was rather touched, everyone was so thoughtful it was rather unexpected.

At Heidi's gesture to my clothes, I hesitated. I'd never undressed in front of anyone before, I actually tended to wear long clothing but realising she wasn't budging I stripped.

She didn't give the small scars and two burns on my back more than a glance before she stepped back letting me enter the bath and duck under the bubbles. It wasn't really fair calling it a bath, it was gigantic, with a pillar in the centre of the back wall allowing tapes to surround it and fill the 'bath' up.

I ducked under again and came up giggling as bubbles stuck to my face, I loved the water and it was refreshing having a bath, I couldn't remember the last time I'd had one, tending to just shower and get cleaning over with.

Heidi held out my razor and soap. I swam over, taking it from her and sitting on the shallower part of the bath so I could use them.

I probably mucked around in the water for an hour, asking Heidi questions that most people would be annoyed to have to keep answering, she simply sat on the edge, careful to not get her dress wet and engaged with me as though it didn't bother her.

"-What about Mermaids?"

"I have never myself met one, I am unsure of their existence, though you would make for a beautiful creature of the sea."

I flushed hurrying on to my next question "-Werewolves?"

She nodded "Yes, creatures of the moon exist, however they are very dangerous, for Vampires as well. They are our natural enemy."

I sat up interested, "Really? I thought only other Vampires could destroy a Vampire."

"Only a creature with enough strength to rip us apart would be able to, then we must be set alight as we can heal from nearly all damage without fire."

"Oh... Are there many Werewolves?" I was a little worried, I had thought my mates were the safest creatures alive, I had not previously entertained the thought they could get hurt.

"No. Not anymore, Master Caius was nearly killed by a wolf once-" I jerked my head to her, feeling panic well up inside me, she gave a soothing sound "Worry not, he killed the beast and since then he led expeditions for a thousand years hunting down and destroying every wolf he found, it is through these expeditions he gained his reputation for having uncontrollable violence and ruthless cruelty."

I frowned, "I don't think he has uncontrollable violence," My mind went back to when I saw Olly on his knee.

Heidi gave me an indulgent look "That is because you are one of his mates and a part of our coven. All the masters have an image they show to the world, they must if they are to maintain order. Not many have the privilege of seeing underneath that mask. As we are their coven, we are family and they need not pretend with you or me." She stood and flashed to get a towel, "Come on, it is time to get ready."

I stood in the bath shaking off the loose water with a laugh before stepping out and into Heidi's arms letting her dry me as though I was a child.

She took me to stand in front of one of the sinks wrapping me in the towel, she fetched a stool and I unthinkingly sat in it, letting her hands fly around my head as she styled my hair.

She mostly left it down with a few white strands twisted and pulled back, matching the pull of fabric in my dress. She spun me around and held up some mascara with a questioning look.

"Just don't poke my eye out."

"Do not fret, I would not." I let her do her thing and soon I was back facing the mirror examining the simple but enhancing makeup.

"Thank you, Heidi."

She laughed "You do not need to thank me all the time, it is my pleasure to show you your beauty my queen, you will be stunning tonight."

I grinned at my reflection.

She fetched my dress and I slipped into it with her help, she held out black wedges that wrapped up the leg sort of like roman sandals. I put them on and spun to show her. "Magnifico. The Kings will be unable to take their eyes off you."

I flushed, "Am I allowed to check on Bella and Olly?"

"Bella is being attended to by Rosalie and Alice, Young Oliver is in his room with Demetri and Felix, I will bring you to them."

I followed her into Olly's room and gasped upon seeing him, dramatically declaring "Olly you look so grown up!" He puffed out his chest, letting me admire his suit. It was completely dark blue, the colour of his sheets, except for the pocket square and shoes which were a crisp white with gold trim.

"Look, mum!" My heart nearly stopped at the word and he excitedly held a mask to his face, it had three-pronged antenna like fixtures, with bells on the end, giving him a Jester feel. 

I pulled him into a hug, "You look, awesome kid."

Demetri coughed and I turned to him grinning "You look very handsome as well. The both of you." I nodded at Felix too. Demetri was clad in a black tux with golden thread decorating it, giving an androgynous feel. His mask was golden and allowed most of his face to be seen, more decoration than a mask.

Felix was clad in a heavier looking suit and with an outer layer. The same golden lines decorating his waistcoat as Demetri's tux. Felix had a mask which arched down in a crescent moon over his right cheek and arched up over his left eyebrow, it was decorated with the golden designs of Demetri, they looked the perfect match.

I shot Heidi an excited look, "Everyone looks so beautiful!"

I was met by a few laughs from the Vampires who had no doubt done it all many times before. A moment later Bella came in accompanied by the other Vampire girls. Alice was in a black dress with red and gold flowers decorating the bodice and straps, it suited her light and breezy personality whilst also fitting the formal setting. Rosalie was in a more traditional ball dress, the top cut the same style as Heidi's but hers was a cream colour complimenting her complexion and hair.

Olly bounded in front of me and darted his way into the hall, "Come on! let's go!"

I looked questioningly at Felix who nodded and I followed, letting him grab my hand and drag me forwards. The others followed us at a slower pace but soon Olly's excitement got to me and I picked up the pace so we were speed-walking side by side. The amount of giggling I had been doing during my time in the castle was surely unnatural.

We made it to the throne room door and decided to wait for the others to catch up. It turned to Olly "So Olly Orange, how do you like it here?"

"I love it! Jane and Alec are my best friends, and I said Demetri and Felix were allowed to be my uncles!"

"Oh-" I said teasingly, "I thought I was your best friend?"

He gave me a look like I was stupid "No, you're Blueberry, and no one else can ever be you."

I knelt down and pulled him into another hug, "No one could ever be you either Olly, it's just us forever and always."

I stood up just as the others arrived, Heidi held out a bit of gold and I flushed in embarrassment, taking the mask with a mumbled thanks and holding it to my face while she tied it under my hair.

"I can't hear anyone." I gestured to the doors.

"That's because they aren't in the throne room, most of the guests have arrived by now, they will be in the Ballroom," Felix said, beginning to lead the way through a different door and another corridor.

"You guys have a room purposefully for Balls?" I gave an incredulous look to Demetri who only grinned "I seriously underestimate how many times you guys must do these things."

As we got further along the passage I began to hear the sound of voices get louder and louder. We made it out into an antechamber which held a table filled with food, apparently for the three of us humans. Bella voiced my thoughts as she looked to the extravagance of it, "That's a little intimidating."

Demetri shuffled us along closer to the oak doors leading to the ball, "You can eat later, for now, you mingle." He pushed them open and we wandered inside, trying to take it all in.

Olly immediately disappeared, and Bella stuck to Alice who headed over to her family. I wandered out of the doorway and stood a bit to the side so I could look around before joining.

The walls were marble and so were the pillars holding up the very tall ceiling, there was a section in the middle we're the roof was entirely glass and allowed moonlight as well as the starts to shimmer on the skin of the Vampires, not as sparkly as I'd been told sunlight was, but so the entire room appeared to have glitter scattered over it which caught the light enough to feel like the stars were in the room with us.

Every Vampire had a mask and not knowing many it was hard to pick out familiar faces, I law Olly holding out his arm in a gentlemanly fashion to who I presumed was Alec. I watched as Olly led him under the skylight and I realised abruptly that there was a change in the floor, from plane marble like the walls to checkered black and white tiles making up a dance floor, where a flurry of Vampires was softly and slowly dancing.

I watched Olly dance for a while with a look of pride, Marcus had obviously taught him well. Olly and Alec danced as they knew exactly where each other would steep, I didn't know enough to see who was leading but I would have said they were effortlessly swapping whenever they please, it was rather mesmerising.

Around the outside of the dancefloor were a smaller number of people, then it got thicker in groups for people chatting. I followed one of the pillars to see along the walls around the height of a second story were a few balconies which Vampires were also grouped.

I was drawn out of my observations by a hand being extended towards me. I followed it seeing a Vampire clad in solid black, with matching hair and a mask that crossed one eye and the bridge of the other, giving an almost skull-like appearance to the painted black porcelain. "May I have this dance?"

"Aro?"

"Is that a question?" I heard the smirk more than saw it, to which I simply placed my hand in his and let him lead me to the dance floor, I felt a few eyes begin to watch us, no doubt recognising I was human, or maybe that I was the King's mate, I wasn't sure.

I quickly forgot about them when Aro placed his hand on my waist and held my other strong in his, before he stepped leading me in the dance. "Your heart is beating fast Amore."

I blushed looking at my feet in fear of forgetting the quick lessons I had been shown earlier, "I'm afraid I'm going to fall and look like an idiot." I muttered.

He pulled me closer with a deep chuckled "I would not let you fall dearest." He released my waist to put two fingers under my chin forcing me to look him in the eyes. "I won't let you fall." He repeated, I believed him.

Relaxing into his hold I focused on Aro's heated gaze instead of my feet and the stepping became easier, soon Aro began to spin me and I was dancing in a way I had never been taught, it was easy to do once I trusted Aro to lead. On one of the dips I breathed in his sent and was intoxicated by the smell of pomegranates, it was a smell associated with darkness and suited him perfectly.

Upon being pulled up a voice interrupted "May I interject?"

I turned to see Caius. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and navy waistcoat with golden buttons, the top one of his shirt buttons was undone in casual elegance, paired with a navy jacket and slacks. His mask was stunning, made of porcelain with black cracks in the texture, reminding me of the chess pieces I had played using, the top of the mask had golden shapes that crowned the Volturi coat of arms, and the shapes also came down to rest on his checks.

Aro gave a sigh "If you must."

My hand was pulled into Caius's and I was spun at a speed too fast to be normal, causing me to let out a squeal and be pulled back into Caius's arms, a tutting Aro striding away to talk to others.

Caius pulled me further into him and inhaled deeply, "You smell divine Beloved."

I did the same to him with a cheeky grin, "You're not so bad yourself." In truth, he smelt like the aftermath of fire, dizziness and destruction, a hypnotising scent.

He danced differently to Aro, where Aro was smooth and flowing from one action effortlessly to another, Caius had definitive ends and beginning in his movements, not jarring but as though closing another chapter and then moving on to the next move, his actions were strong and precise, I did not fall with him either.

Once the song was over he led me off the floor and into the antechamber for water, I was a little out of breath and thanked him for the refreshments.

"That is quite alright Amore, would you like me to introduce you to some of the guests? My brothers say you _are_ here to make friends after all." I heard a note of annoyance in his voice and sniggered.

"Possessive?"

He trapped me against the table and leaned in close. "Very" My eyes fluttered shut as he breathed the word before he abruptly pulled away and held his arm out for me to grab. I let him lead me back in, calming my heart as we walked.

Once introducing me to a man called Eleazar, I branched off from Caius, feeling a little more confident. Eleazar was fascinating, apparently, he had a gift as well, and his gift was the ability to tell what gifts anyone else had, even if they didn't know it. I met his mate as well, Carmen, she was beautiful and I noticed they both had golden eyes like the Cullens. "Are your eyes like that because you don't drink human blood?" I had, had my suspicions for a while and it would be nice to have them confirmed.

Eleazar nodded, "That is correct, I stayed with the Volturi for a time, helping them with my power to maintain the law, however, my mate and I are peaceful at heart, we did not like the violence, despite the cause and even if the humans be the scum of the earth we did not like our curse."

Carmen agreed adding "We did not know there was another way until we meet Tanya and her coven, since trying our vegetarian diet we are happier, however-" She gently took my hand "-Do not let anyone make that decision for you, it is a big one, when eventually you are turned, your mates will support you, no matter what you choose."

I looked to Eleazar "You said they were 'scum of the earth'? Do you mean the Volturi only eat bad people?" I hadn't considered that in fact, I'd tried not to think about it much at all.

"Yes, the Volturi have their rules on who they kill, they would not change to a vegetarian diet I think, the Kings believe it weakens Vampires, they may be right, but they are not uncivilized. I suggest if you are concerned ask them, they will not lie to you."

I thanked them and took my leave wandering around the hall trying to decide who to introduce myself to when someone beat me to it. "And you must be the new Queen! An American as well I hear." I smiled at the sandy-haired man before me, and gave a slight curtsy, correcting him.

"Actually I was born in Russia, but I've been living in America for a long time and I'm a citizen so..."

He slung his arm around my shoulders, "Good enough, you know these Italians can get quite full of themselves, I'm Garrett by the way, been around a long time, not as long as your mates though. God, they're ancient."

I laughed, he was funny and easy to talk to, "I'm Blue."

He pulled back looking me in the eye "That's an odd name."

"I know."

When I said nothing else he smiled and put his arm back over my shoulders leading me over to a few of his friends and introducing them to me. "Everyone this is Blue, the new Queenie."

"You know, I'm not actually a Queen, pretty sure you have to be married for that."

One of the others who I believe was called Benjamin gave a wide smile "You haven't been told much of our world have you?"

I shook my head, no point pretending, "Actually only learnt about Vampires less than a week ago."

Garret let out an appalled sound, "We have done you a disservice, my dear. That just won't do, no, Benjamin my fine lad, brings the lady a seat."

Benjamin and the other Vampires in the group also zapped some chairs, I perched nervously on the edge of it ready to jump off at any sudden movements. Fortunately, the decision was slowly being followed all over the hall, and more and more groups were sitting, waiters came out with trays of glasses filled with blood, which Garrett took a few, passing them along he began to inform me of several 'absolute facts' as he called them.

"-No no no- '' Tia interrupted Edwards speech, he had found his way over to us which I wasn't sure how I felt about, seeing as he seemed to be trying to turn my opinions of Vampires into mud. Annoyed, That's what I was feeling. "-You cannot compare the life of Humans to Vampires, they are not the same, they are different." Tia, Benjamin's mate didn't seem to like Edward's Self-Vampire hatred either.

Edward had a permanent frown on his face. I interrupted before Edward could say anything else, "And what do you consider a soul then Edward?" He had been trying to insist that becoming a Vampire destroyed your soul, and I wasn't buying it.

"It is the essence of who you are, your sense of right and wrong." Benjamin provided.

I looked to Edward seeing if he agreed, he nodded, "But Edward, don't you eat animals because you think eating humans is wrong?"

"Yes but-" He seemed to know where I was going, but I didn't let him interrupt.

"So if you know it's wrong and are aware of your own moral dilemma, you must have a soul."

He scoffed "I am a monster and know it because it is true, we are unnatural."

I shot him an annoyed look "But you're still the same person right?"

"I am not a person."

"Oh for fuck's sake, I mean, you didn't suddenly start I dunno, hating yellow when you used to love it, nothing inherently changed about your personality when you became a Vampire right?"

He hesitated trying to find a flaw in my logic, Garrett laughed "Ah she's got you there mate. Come on Love, you'd better get some food."

I was thankful for the escape and bid Benjamin and Tia goodbye following Garrett to the table for some air and food. I stood there for a while, insisting Garett go back. I'd pretty much talked to most groups now and as my eyes made it to the balconies, I figured it would be nice to see the view from up there, so turning around and heading out the corridor I made my way up the spiral staircase.

I exited the stairs and was about to head over to the edge when a vaguely familiar voice stopped me. "So the Queen has graced us with her presence?" I turned to see Athenodora and another Vampire blocking my exit. I decided to be nice, not wanting to start a fight tonight, I was actually having a lot of fun.

"Hello Athenodora, and...?" I looked over to the other Vampire who was just as drop-dead gorgeous as the first, except in a darker way.

"Sulpicia." She provided. Right, Aro's wife, great, just what I needed.

Athenodora was donning a dress practically made of crystals making her look like she was dripping with silver and sparkles, her mask matched, it was pretty, if not a bit much. Sulpicia had a deep cut V neck black dress. I headed over to the spot I was previously going and looked over the rail searching for Bella to check on her.

I spotted her dancing with Jane. I wouldn't have picked the two of them to be friends but the way they glided across the floor was captivating. Jane was wearing a black dress that suited her age but had a touch more femininity that the girl usually eluded.

I was broken from my observations by Sulpica sliding up beside me. I sighed realising I wouldn't be able to avoid all confrontation tonight. "Yes?"

"Little human, I was wondering if you knew all you were getting into."

I scowled at her. "Yea actually your friend has already given me the lecture, this 'little human' can ask questions you know."

She immediately looked apologetic, and if she was faking it she was doing a much better job than Athenadora had. "Oh Sweet, I didn't mean to offend. You probably think we are jealous, as we were the Kings wives."

"You're not?" I let the scepticism show in my voice, not read to believe her by a long shot.

"The Kings wives? No. Not anymore, but we aren't jealous or resentful... Well maybe Athenodora had a little anger to work out at first-'' She gave a sharp laugh "-but truly, we love this coven and want it to prosper for many more millennia to come, we are more worried that you don't understand and when you finally figure out what you are a part of, you will leave and harm this coven beyond repair."

I gave her my full attention "I don't understand, why would I leave, and why would that hurt anyone 'beyond repair'?"

She gave me a searching look, "You do not know?"

"Getting real tired with people telling me I don't know things."

"My apologies, let me explain. You are the mate of the Kings yes?"

"So I've been told," I muttered darkly

She continued on undeterred "-You are still Human and do not feel the bond as strongly and as such if you reject it, not much beyond a strong sadness would descend upon you, and that would only be temporary, however, the Kings, well they would not fare so lightly."

I gave her a shocked look, "Wait if I was to tell them that I wanted to go home at the end of the week, then they would be physically hurt?!"

"And emotionally broken. They did not tell you of this?"

I shook my head, mind whirling, I could have made a simple choice for myself and doomed my mates, and worse the Vampire world, the more and more I had heard about my mates and their coven the move I realised why they are so important, the world needed the Vampires laws enforced and without the Volturi, everything would fall into chaos. To think I could have unknowingly done that made my heart clench.

But I wasn't planning on leaving, and they hadn't told me because they didn't want me to feel pressured into making a choice I didn't want. If they had told me I might never have been sure if I had made the choice out of obligation or truth. "I'm not leaving though, I am staying, so it doesn't matter."

Athenodora stood beside her sister, "You say that now. Besides leaving at the end of this week wouldn't have done much to the Kings, we are more worried about further on, once, you have... show your love more fully to one another-" I gave her a dirty look "-When they are more connected to you, that is when you leaving would cause their fall to ruin. We don't want that obviously, so you have to go now." She finished sweetly.

"I don't plan on abandoning them at any point in the future, so thanks for the advice, but no thanks." I tried to turn back to the stair and leave but was blocked by Sulpicia. "Perhaps then you should know the darker parts of this coven, so you can be sure you will not abandon them later on when you learn the truth?"

I folded my arms unconsciously trying to protect myself against the uncomfortable situation. I didn't want them to tell me, not because I was afraid of whatever darkness they claimed lingered in my soon to be family, but because I wanted to learn all the parts of them, good and bad, over time and ideally with the person able to defend their actions.

Unfortunately, both Sulpicia and Athenodora were Vampires and blocking my way, so listening seemed like the only option. "Fine. Tell me."

Athenodora launched into it, "You know Felix, Demetri, Jane and Alec, yes?" I nodded "They are the elite guard of the Volturi, the top of the top. Not the only guard by any means, when Caius led war against the children of the moon, he did not take the elite guard, his own strength and the army of Vampires behind him enough."

I cringed at the adoration in her eyes, trying not to imagine the beautiful blonde in bed with my beautiful blond after he came back from battle.

Sulpicia continued "The elite guards are rarely used and when they are, they are never gone long. You see all of them are specialised in destruction, all in their own way. Just the four of them could take out a newborn army of Vampires as easy as swatting a fly. You see, Jane has the ability to simply glance at a person, any person be it man or Vampire, and they will be rippled with agonising pain. Most scream some feel the pain so greatly they cannot even summon the sound."

I looked away it sounded horrible, but if Sulpicia thought I was about to turn tail and run because of the potential that someone could hurt me, then she was an idiot. "I'm a human as you have so often pointed out, anything could hurt me, Jane doesn't need a special power too, besides I don't think she ever would."

"No-" Sulpicia agreed "-The Kings would have her in ashes, besides, she likes you." I wasn't sure I believed that we'd barely said two words to one another, "The point is, that Jane does this to others. You are a detective aren't you Blue?"

"How do you know that?"

She ignored me "And so your very existence is saving lives, finding people and protecting them from others, could you really stand by and watch, as you will have to in the courtroom, as a Vampire is on their knees begging for mercy and Jane tortures them in front of you? Could you do it? Because that is the life you are heading towards."

I didn't want to listen any more, I knew they were hateful and trying to scare me away, I knew that but their words left a very vivid image in my mind, was I prepared to do that? I couldn't even do human court, because it was boring and tedious, as well as corrupt, I hated injustice. My mind flicked to Aro's gift, but it wouldn't be injustice, would it?

Despite what Sulpicia and Athenadora thought they knew about me they were wrong, sure I liked helping people, but I also hated some, my mind flicked to the Wonka killer. I knew in my heart if he was before me screaming, begging for mercy, I would not feel sorry, nor regret, he was a monster and deserved it, he murdered children in twisted ways, I wouldn't feel a thing.

Unaware of my inner thoughts Athenodora continued on "The Volturi are utterly ruthless in their attack and upholding of the law, you will see hundreds of lives destroyed in your time as Queen and that isn't counting the human's lives you will destroy personally once you are turned."

I still haven't made a decision on that, Eleazar's words from before came back to me "If you are concerned ask them, they will not lie to you." I would do that, my mates wouldn't force me to do anything I didn't want to, them not telling me the resulting harm my decision could cause them was proof of that, they wanted me to be happy, clearly, above their own happiness, which was sweet but I needed to prove to them that they were just as important, it would be something I'd work on.

"The elite guard, have their ranking because they have earned it, over thousands of years of refining and practising their skills as well as combat, do not think Jane is unable to rip apart an average Vampire just because she has her mental skill, she is stronger than most Vampires they all are, although Felix is the strongest in our coven, aside from the Kings of course."

Sulpicia took a step closer causing me to take one back, "They are unstoppable. Demetri is the greatest tracker in the world, no Vampire has his sense of smell, he could track someone even if he had never met them, so long as he finds someone who has, there is no place on earth anyone could go, that he would not be able to follow. Vampires have run from the Volturi, but they cannot hide from the law with Demetri."

"and Alec-" Athendorora copied her soul sister stepping closer"-His power surrounds you, it incapacitated you, makes it so you cannot feel, cannot see, touch, hear or even think, till the silence becomes the only thing that is left and you are begging into the void for Jane's punishment to return, only to never hear your own voice."

"Sensory deprivation," I muttered

She leered, "Yes. It is exactly that." She scowled at me, "You must leave at the end of the week."

I made myself appear sincere and slightly fearful, knowing they wouldn't let me leave otherwise. "Yes, of course, thank you for telling me, I should head back now they could come looking for me," Giving a fake nervous laugh I stepped in between them and headed through the stone archway walking down the spiral staircase.

Sure what they had told me didn't sound pleasant, but it was a little awe-inspiring, I tried to imagine training for years and couldn't do it, to think the four Vampires I'd hung out and joked with were such deadly beings was kind of cool. I grinned to myself as I jumped from the last few steps onto marble. Honestly, the ex-wives schemes were almost funny, although I should probably tell the Kings they keep trying to get rid of me, otherwise they might attempt a more permanent way, which would not be very ideal.

I slipped back into the Ball and found myself within earshot of Demetri and Felix who had just stumbled across Rosalie and her mate, Emmet.

Demetri split into one of his smirks at the sight of the couple and Emmet put a protective arm around Rosalie, Felix noticed and placated the man "Don't worry she isn't our type."

"Who is your type," Emmet questioned.

"Men," Demetri answered. 

Felix winked at Emmet and Rosalie wrapped a protective arm around him, causing me to snigger and run into a solid form. "Oof!"

"Careful Darling," Purred a familiar voice. 

I looked up to see the mate I had yet to find all evening. "Marcus, I found you!" I had been looking but he seemed to be but a rumour until now.

"Looks like you have, care to dance with me. I notice both Aro and Caius got their turn."

I took his hand "Of course Marcus, I would never deprive you." I finished cheekily, enjoying the purry it elected.

He was wearing a more traditional tux, with a bow tie and a white shirt, his mask however was black with shots of purple in the porcelain, it came to a point on his nose like a break, and spiralled, slightly to the sides of the temples, like both ears and horns, a cross between an owl and the devil, it suited him.

"You look stunning tonight Darling, I cannot help but wonder how Caius and Aro have managed to restrain themselves?"

"Not yourself?" I teased.

He pulled me into a dip and I felt his teeth graze my neck, "We shall see."

I struggled to breathe for a few seconds, my heart beating wildly at the danger and arousal the moment evoked, in turn, my face flushed bright red and I attempted to bury it in his chest while we danced.

He cooed at me and brushed his fingers over my jaw. Leading me off the floor to the quieter outskirts and he leaned against a pillar, handing me a drink of water I hadn't seen him grab, he watched me drink it with a hungry look that did nothing to calm my flaming cheeks.

Nervously putting the glass down on the floor afraid my fingers would accidentally let go and drop it, I looked up at Marcus as I stood, then suddenly found myself leaning against the pillar, his arms trapping me in. He leaned down and stopped millimetres away from my lips giving me the chance to breathe him in, he smelt like stone ruins and just a touch of an alcohol I couldn't name, "Darli-"

I cut him off by wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his lips to mine. I gasped as he stepped closer, moving his own arms to grab mine and hold them above my head, kissing my deeper. He pulled away allowing me to breath and I greedily sucked in the air, suddenly remembering we were not alone, but in a hall filled with people, I tried to pull my arms down but Marcus only chuckled seemingly noticing me realise our location, he pulled me into another kiss.

Which was how Aro and Caius found us.

"And here you tell us to behave, brother." Caius's smirking face came into view as Marcus pulled back with a dramatic sigh. I whimpered at the loss of his lips, seemingly unable to decide between wanting to preserve my first impressions on the guests and wanting to continue. 

Aro flashed to my other side with a coo "Don't fret dearest, I believe we have stayed long enough anyway."

Seemingly waiting for that cue, Caius picked me up and ignored my yelp, we sped off disappearing from the Ball without a goodbye.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI this next bit is smut, if you don't want to read that just skip to the first '--IMMORTAL--' page break.

* * *

I was placed gently on the floor or either Marcus or Aro's room, as I hadn't been in either yet, judging by the purple splashed throughout, which I knew was Marcus's favourite colour, I guessed it was his room. Not letting Caius do anything else I rounded on him and shoved him onto the bed.

He pulled me onto his lap and I dug my fingers in his hair letting his lips touch mine. I'd done a lot of kissing in my life and had never found it enjoyable, but kissing my mates was like kissing a star, burning and all-encompassing, it was addicting and I _needed_ it.

I tried to sink closer into him, embodied by his growl. He pulled back removing my mask and tossing it on the floor which earned a frown from me, that had probably been quite expensive.

A chuckle from the door drew my attention and I saw my darker-haired mates enter the room. Aro pulled off his own mask and came to brush his hand along my jaw which I leaned in to.

I turn from him and reached around Caius's head to untie his mask and was about to hop off him to put it on the desk in the corner but he gripped my hips not letting me move, "Caius." I whined.

In response, Marcus took the mask and Aro moved in behind me, brushing my hair over my shoulder he turned my face to his and pulled me into a kiss.

All my mates were so different in their intimacy, Aro kissed with a touch of exploration in his movements, Caius with nips and urgency, and Marcus killed like he was trying to drown out everything else, I wasn't sure how I kissed, but I was glad they liked it.

Caius chuckled "Darling you're thinking too much."

I frowned pulling away from Aro, nervous, he was right, but it wasn't without reason. I didn't want to disappoint them but I needed to tell them, I had to be honest.

Marcus reached my side tilting my face to his. "I'm - I'm not a virgin," I stuttered out, cowardly looking away.

Marcus pulled back a little so I was forced to face him, "Darling-" He purred "We did not expect you to abstain when you did not even know of our existence, and I am afraid my dear, neither are we."

That caused me to give a weak smile, but I wanted them to know before they got in too deep, Sulpicia's words coming back to me, I didn't want them to go too far and end up deciding they hated the thought of touching me when I had been with so many others, I didn't want it to be the reason the coven suffered.

"I've been with a few," I said lamely.

Caius pulled my hips to roll into his and I gasped, "Then we'll just have to do better won't we Amore?"

I groaned into his lips and felt elated as well as like cursing myself out, I didn't know why it was so difficult to say. It wasn't the perfect time but it was a good time, they should know, yet I felt a fear clench in me unlike anything I'd felt before, it was almost unnatural.

Instead, I focused on the feel of Aro running his hand up my back and lacing his own finger in my hair. He pulled my head gently from Caius and stole a kiss from me.

I laughed in between breaths, "You guys really like moving me to face you,"

"We like to see your eyes darling, " Groaned Caius

I smirked and rolled my hips into him causing his hands to pull me tight against him and his mouth to attack my neck. I gasped and whimpered as his teeth nipped but never broke the skin, it was a rush, tasting the danger but knowing I could control its course.

A ripping sound broke me abruptly from the moment and I whirled around to Marcus who had a slightly guilty look on his face. "Marcus!"

"We will get it mended Amore." He tried to placate me.

A snigger came from Caius and I whirled around narrowing my eyes at him, "That's not the issue, it probably cost a fortune, and now to fix it-"

I was cut off by Aro lifting me off Caius and letting the fabric slip off me in the process, he placed me down naked in front of them. I twirled throwing him a smirk, they were silent and I tracked Aro's eyes to one of my scars. "Like what you see?" I snarked in self-depreciation, the few I had were small enough not to be noticed in the light but I guessed their Vampire sighed gave them an advantage.

In answer Aro sunk to his knees and gently placed a kiss on one, "We will hear your stories another time dearest, and we will listen to every minute of your life if you would let us."

I breathed out shakily, "I'll tell you, I promise."

He heard the 'not now' in my words and lifted me behind the thighs to sit on the bed, kissing up from my ankles I registered Caius kneeling behind me and he began to map my body with his hands, I leaned back to kiss him groaning as his hands caressed my flesh.

I tugged on his jacket indicating I wanted it off, he removed himself long enough to strip his shirt to before going back to his position. Marcus seemed content to lounge in a chair and watch the show, I shot him a wink for entertainment, forgetting for the moment of Aro's undeterred destination.

I felt as Aro mouthed inside my thigh and I gave a shocked gasp arching into Caius who chuckled and flicked my nipples purring in my ear, the vibrations for his chest not letting me catch my breath as it got heavier looking down to Aro, who was gazing straight back at me.

Upon catching my eye he forced my legs open wider and nipped closer until I saw a cheeky grin across his face, that was all the warning I got before he descended onto my core. My legs clenched tight which he effortlessly kept open and I screwed up my eyes into Caius's neck my breath laboured, not really aware of the sounds I was making.

Caius rubbed his thumb over the side of my neck whispering darkly "Come on Darlin, open your eyes, watch what Aro is doing to you."

I could barely think as Aro worked his tongue over my clit and was panting desperately, but upon Caius's words, I did as he said and gazed down at my raven-haired mate.

"Aro" I whined, he responded tilting my hips up and pressing a finger against my entrance. He hesitated a moment pulling back to glance over at Marcus, I whined again and he soothed me by circling my entrance.

Marcus flashed over and stole my mouth which was apparently what Aro was waiting for, as I was distracted by Marcus's tongue running along my lips asking for entrance, Aro's finger pressed in. I clenched up and Caius made a soothing sound behind me, feeling me tense. "Relax Amore, we will not hurt you."

I closed my eyes needing the security of the darkness, the familiarity of the territory but Marcus didn't let me, pulling back he demanded "Darling open your eyes, we want you to see us. Not many get the privilege, please darling."

I saw the please in his eyes, more than heard it and found myself nodding vehemently, he gave a dashing smile and a peck before returning to his seat to watch.

Caius took over and wrapped a loose hand around my chest holding me to him. Aro flicked his tongue and added another finger scissoring inside me, I whined and my hips stuttered forwards, I could feel a burning building in my body I didn't know what it was, I felt fearful, but I trusted my mates and instead of tensing again I relaxed further.

"Good girl," Purred Caius and I whimpered sucking in chocked half breaths now as I felt myself getting tighter.

"Aro!" I didn't know what I was asking for, but I trusted him to give it to me, "Aro, Aro _please_."

He crooked his fingers and I felt a flood of pleasure pass through me, I shuddered against Caius and gasped again and again while they purred.

Finally, the shuddering stopped and I felt as though I'd run a hundred miles. I was boneless, Aro chuckled and stood up still in between my legs he pulled Caius into a filthy kiss which made me whimper at the sight.

"You taste delicious darling, just as I had thought."

I didn't think it was possible to blush after having a hot Italian between your legs, and yet.

Next, I found myself lying in the middle of the bed with Caius leering down at me, "My turn Carissima," I shivered half at the promise in his words and the use of Italian, it was, unfortunately, a turn on for me, unfortunate because it was their first used language, and I had very little self-control.

I pulled him into a kiss, wrapping my legs around his waist and rolling against him like before, earning myself a strained growl.

I looked over to my left to see Marcus behind Aro undressing him whilst they both watched us, or maybe I was watching them. Marcus's hand-dipped beneath Aro's shirt and in a single move, he tore it off. Aro didn't move a millimetre, as though not the least bit afraid by the display of strength, I groaned. Shit, that was hot.

Caius latched onto my nipple and I arched up crying out in surprise, still watching as Marcu's hand-dipped beneath Aro's slacks and Aro lost his well-kept composure his hips shifting into Marcus's hand.

Caius moved onto my other nipple and I felt my hands move on their own accord, burring into his hair and one dragging down his back, not with my nails but just enough pressure to ground myself.

He chuckled against my breast, rolling his hips into mine, "Darling you don't have to hold back with us, "

"I don't want to hurt you, even if I can't," I muttered into his neck, he cooed as though what I had said was adorable and in a flurry of movement he picked me up to sit atop of him against the headboard, much like the position I had been in at the beginning.

"You may do as you please to me, dearest." Instead of ignoring the words, I casually dragged my hand down his torso feeling the chill that came from their touch, it was more of a shock that, what looked like flesh felt cold, rather than actual icy temperature.

I knew they were hard as marble but Caius's skin dipped at my touch. It was utterly fascinating.

I leaned in suddenly and nipped under his jaw, delighting at his following rumble. I licked around my bite, kissing it better before sinking my teeth in a little harder my eyes flicking up to his in question. I pulled back "Did you feel that?"

"Yes, I feel everything you would Carissima, we are simply more durable."

I cocked my head to the side curious, that prompted some more questions, but for another time. I used my freedom to lean forward and close my lips around his nipple, he groaned, closer to a gasp than I had heard from him, and that immediately became my mission. I sucked harder grazing my teeth and heard him swear, which was delightful in itself. Being able to make such an impressive creature lose his composure was a power rush unlike any other, not even the feeling that came from realising I'd solved a case was as good as this, I wanted more.

I went back to his mouth addicted to the way my mates kissed me, I licked into his mouth and he patiently let me explore, I pulled back with a giggle as our tongues touched and he smirked in amusement.

Liking the surprise I was able to elect in my mates I darted my hand down to brush the course hair near the top of his slacks, maintaining eye contact I was able to see his eyes visibly darken. I continued on my course after twisting the hairs and flicking open the top button, I slipped my hand further down.

He thrust his hips up as I brushed over his clothed head and I glanced down in interest to see his black underwear, I flicked my thumb over the spot again and was treated to a growl. I looked to the side to shoot the now naked Aro a cheeky look, taking a second to look him up and down, watching as Marcus stroked him leisurely, both drawing in heavy breaths they didn't need.

I snapped back to Caius and without hesitation began to trying to leave hickeys on his bloodless skin, all the while slipping my hand under the final, layer. He huffed a laugh as my hand got caught gently tracing the soft skin, his clothing getting in the way. I pulled back and tugged at his pants, "Take them off."

"You're sitting on me, darling." He commented.

I narrowed my eyes, knowing full well he was capable of lifting me. Cautiously I raised up to prepare to move off then there was a flurry of movement, and he was naked underneath me, with his hands on my hips holding me above his leaking member.

I sucked in a breath through my teeth feeling a little nervous again, but he didn't shove me down as I expected. instead, Aro appeared behind me, his fingers slip between my legs and found their way into my core again, he slipped in a third and crocked them causing the pleasure from before to rear its head, I shifted into his hands and fell closer into Caius.

Aro pushed in a fourth finger stretching them all before withdrawing and helping to lower me onto Caius. I felt him breach me and he paused. I whined trying to make Caius go deeper but he controlled the pace, lowering me until he bottomed out. My head fell back and I gasped out.

A bet passed before he rolled his hips up and I got the message. Pressing my forehead against his I lifted myself slightly, only just noticing as Aro moved to lie beside us and Marcus recuperated what Aro had done to me, pleasuring the raven-king with his mouth.

I panted as I picked up the pace rolling my hips and bouncing onto Caius, he continually ran his hands over me and I felt warm all over, it wasn't long before I felt the familiar heat building again. Caius somehow sensed this and gave encouragements, "Come on darling, nearly there."

Aro seemed to find Caius's words as intoxicating as me and he thrust his hips into Marcus's mouth who took it effortlessly.

I felt my eyes flutter before remembering Marcus's words and keeping them fixed on my mates, alternating between their wrecked expressions. Aro came first with a broken cry and thrusting into Marcus who swallowed him down as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Caius's eyes locked onto the sight, all three of us captivated by his pleasure-filled face.

He came to his senses quickly after as Marcus pulled off him he shot me a cheeky wink, "You alright there darling?"

I couldn't respond past the point of being able to talk and only whimpered trying to roll my hips faster chasing the tight sensation in my gut.

"Let go Mi Regina" Aro's voice had me clenching tight and riding the waves of pleaser still unconsciously moving my hips and Caius thrust up a few times more before I felt him spill inside me. I slumped onto him with my own wrecked noise, trying to catch my breath.

I felt myself be pulled of Caius and seeing Aro still lying beside him, I knew it was Marcus. I watched the hooded expressions being shot my way and felt knees come to either side on my own kneeling form, as Marus brush against my entrance, I didn't try to quite the whine that left me.

He purred behind me soothingly stroking his hands over my burning flesh and rubbing circles into my hips as he gently pulled me back onto him.

I whimpered before following his hips and sinking back fully. He hissed in my ear and I looked up, from this angle I could see my other mates lazily pleasing each other and watching Marcus and I. I felt his hips pull back and slam into mine, he did it again and again, ringing every noise he could from me.

I felt my end approaching and gripped his arm tight, shuddering through the waves of pleasure. He leaned down to nip my ear, "Two more to go Darling."

It took me a second to register what Marcus meant and I felt a twinge of fear hit me I looked to Caius in panic who only cooed at me, apparently expecting as such from Marcus. Aro purred out "You will find dearest, that Marcus is rather unmerciful with his love."

I whined as I felt my end approach again, burying my head into his neck as I was pulled back onto him and continued to do so through my climax once more. When Marcus didn't even slow down I whimpered out "No - I can't - I can't"

Marcus purred against my back "Yes you can Darling, it's alright."

I felt a tear roll down my cheek at the overstimulation and was torn between wanting more and wanting to stop, I gave the decision over to Marcus even as I drew in panting breath and more tears leaked out. I didn't feel the build-up for long before I was crying out and coming, all the energy left my body and Marcus shifted one last time before he came too.

He pulled out of me slowly, soothing me as I winced in discomfort. Then he lifted me and placed me between the other two who surrounded me with purring and he sat himself against the headboard.

My eyes shut without resistance and I slipped into unconsciousness feeling safe and bone tired.

\--IMMORTAL--

I lazily battered off a hand that ran across my temple and tried to snuggle further into the pleasant chill. A laugh caused my eyes to snap open. I took a second to adjust, letting myself rake over the miles of pale skin stretched and tangled in front of me. At some point in the night, Marcus had switched with Aro and was curled into my front with my head resting on Aro’s legs and a gentle petting of my shoulders told me Caius was behind me.

I yawned and stretched sitting up and hissing. “You didn’t have to stay, that must have been boring and you probably had other things to do,” I muttered absentmindedly.

A scoff from behind me was all the warning I got before I was sitting in Caius’s lap and said Vampire was nuzzling my neck.

Marcus twirled a pen “Amore, we have no place we would rather be than here with you.”

Aro held up a book that he had obviously been reading “Don’t fret, we didn’t watch you sleep all day.”

“All day?” I questioned “How long was I out?”

Caius pulled back to answer content to just breath in and hold me for now, “All of yesterday from the ball, and most of today, I believe it is the afternoon now.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever slept so long in my life.” I pulled out of Caius embrace suddenly remembering “Hey wait! What day is it?”

Aro looked nervous, “It is Sunday dearest.”

I knew what that meant, it was the end of the week, make or break time, well not for me, I’d decided a couple of days ago. Jumping out of the bed I was stumped to see I had nothing to put on, huffing I walked over to the door which I correctly assumed was Marcus’s wardrobe.

Caius’s voice gave me pause, “You’re leaving?” it sounded normal but there was an undercurrent of… fear to it. 

I suddenly felt horrible realising just what my actions looked like to them, turning back around sheepishly I hastily corrected him, “No, no, I’m staying promise, I just want to say goodbye to Bella… I wasn’t abandoning you guys.”

Aro seemed to not want to get his hopes up, “You have decided you want to stay with us?”

I nodded “Yep, I’ve already talked to Bella about it, she’s going to go back to her father. I'll stay but there's one condition.”

“Which is?” Marcus prompted

  
  


“My work, I love being a detective, and my job is an important part of my existence. I don’t want to give it up until I absolutely have too.”

“Of course dearest” Aro agreed “We know how much it means to you, you said you are able to do this work from any location, however.”

“Yes, I can but I do have to go and visit the boss, check-in and give updates in person every now and again. Not to mention if there's a sudden spike in cases I have to go back to Seattle and stay for as long as needed to calm the rush, I’m Derek's back up and I’m not about to abandon him besides I still want my freedom.”

Marcus had a serious look on his face “We are not planning on locking you in a tower Amore. We only wish to have a chance to provide you with a home.” Aro and Caius echoed similar sentiments and I felt like crying.

“You have it. And I want to be your home too.” I saw them all relax and grinned needing to break the tension “Come on. After last night, who would leave?” I wiggled my eyebrows before backing into Marcus's closet and stealing one of his shits which I slipped on it hung past my butt, modest enough to walk back to my room in. Unfortunately, there was no way I’d fit into his pants as Marcus was the tallest of my mates.

I came out of the closet to see him watching me with amusement, he himself stretching bare on the bed, Aro and Caius not much better. Although I couldn’t blame them if I had a body like that I’d flaunt it too.

“Now I understand the bed and lack of sleep Caius,” I smirked at him.

He flashed in front of me to pull me into a kiss, “Hopefully you will wish to test mine next.” He purred into my mouth.

I shivered against him before pulling away and giving a wave to my mates, taking my exit with a call over my shoulder, “I’ll be back laaaater!”

“Dinner!” Aro corrected.

\--IMMORTAL--

I spent the rest of the afternoon with Bella and found out she had, of her own violation, applied for WorldPackers. Apparently Charlie had a rule that she wasn't allowed to leave school unless she had a job or in some form of education. It sounded smart to me and after our previous conversation, Bella had decided that she wanted to explore and see the world as it was, rather than her ideal fantasy of it. Probably far easier to do now she had nothing clouding her vision.

WorldPackers was apparently an organisation that paid for accommodation and travel expenses all around the world, in exchange for volunteer work. I was getting the run down in Bella’s favourite spot, watching as the sun sunk over the top of Didyme’s grave and in between the trees, the rays landed strikingly against Bella's skin.

“Have you told Charlie?”

“Yeah, I called him yesterday, I’m still going to go home and spend a week with him, but I’ve decided to drop out of school. I don’t need my last year to qualify for university if I decided to go later on, and with this organisation, I’m technically working.”

“Volunteering,” I corrected

“True, but Charlie seemed to think it was a good idea. He believes you’ve been a good influence on me you know.”

I gave her an incredulous look “I encouraged you to jump off a cliff.”

“But you had someone teach us how to do it. Besides all he’s seen since I came to live with him was me becoming unhealthily obsessed with Edward Cullen, then he left and I went into a catatonic state which I’ve been brought out of, by you, taking me on the trip of my life.”

“Nah-” I disagree “You got yourself back together, I just took you to a better place to do it. You can’t heal in the same place you were hurt, there are too many reminders it’s hard to move forward when you keep looking back.”

  
  


“Then thank you, for helping me fix myself.”

I wanted to argue that she had never been broken but let it lie, I understood regardless it was how she had felt and there was truth in that. I switched conversations instead “Do you get to choose where you are going?”

“Yes. Although they can decide if you don’t want to, I’m actually really looking forward to it.”

“Probably won't be as five star as our little trip.”

“No,” She agreed “But I think I need to see the dirt of the world before I can get back to my roses.”

I ran my thumb over her shoulder in comfort “Do you think you will? Get back to seeing the world in happily ever afters?”

“Marcus said I had no mate, that they were dead.” She pulled at the grass as she spoke, “I think I’m going to focus on other people for a while. Hopefully, I can find myself and my place in the world if I see every part of it.”

“Well if you’re ever in any trouble, any at all Bells, I’ll be here.”

“Me too!” We both jumped as Olly appeared from behind the grave marker and crawled into Bella’s lap. He gave her a serious look “I’m staying with Bubbles, Bella, but I can come and find you if you want me too-” He dropped his voice to a whisper, apparently trying to keep me from hearing “-Even if you just want to come and watch the stars with me like last time.”

I raised an eyebrow at Bella who flushed. I supposed that was a little secret of theirs. Standing up with a stretch I bent down and picked up Olly, cradling him so his back was to my chest and he was sitting on my arms like a swing. “Come on munchkin, and you too Bells, we have a farewell dinner to attend.”

Olly squealed, yanking on my biceps to command which way I needed to go as we began to treck inside.

We found the dining room easily due to Olly's guidance and all the Volturi were waiting expectantly.

Bella blushed at the grand looking dinner as well as the waiting Vampires, mumbling a thank you, we all sat in the spaces provided for us.

It wasn’t a formal dinner, despite the table setting, there were stories thrown around of the brief time they had all spent with Bella. Olly certainly made up for any lulls in the conversation with another story of his own. Then at the end, a few boxes were placed on the table in front of Bella, one placed down by Marcus signed by the Kings, another from Heidi, which was generous as we’d only just met her recently, and then another from Jane and Alec.

Bella looked at me in confusion and I smirked: “I think they're farewell gifts Bells, how about you open them and see?”

Several voices agreed with me and Bella tentatively reached for the Kings on first. It was a simple black velvet box that when opened held a red satin cushion and a drop pendant necklace that looked like it cost a fortune. “Oh my gosh!” They all looked rather pleased with themselves as she turned to them with shock, “I- I can’t take this, it must have cost-”

Caius cut her off “-Do you not like it?”

Bella hastily retreated “No I love it- It’s just-”

Caius waved her off “It is a gift. Keep it.”

I smiled to myself knowing the abrupt manner was his way of hiding his delight in giving Bella the gift. _I could see right through him._

“Do mine next,” Heidi stated.

Bella picked up the ring box and opened it to Earrings that complemented the necklace nicely. Learning her lesson Bella simply thanked her, the blush adorning her checks “They're very beautiful, thank you, Heidi.”

Alec pressed their box into her palm, it was upon closer look, a carved wooden box and if I had to guess by the way Alec nervously brushed his finger over it, he had carved it himself. I wondered when Bella had gotten so close with the twins.

Bella gently pulled the lid up to find a stone which she pulled out to show it wasn’t a stone at all but a solid piece of acrylic and within it a single flower preserved, frozen like the Vampires themselves. If I wasn’t mistaken the flower was the same ones as outside Didyme’s grave.

I noticed the Kings narrow their eyes critically at the flower, but was distracted as Bella rushed to the twins. To everyone's absolute Suprise, Jane pulled Bella into a tight embrace. For a second, burying her head in Bellas body, before she returned to her spot and glared down Felix and Demetri, the only ones who would be stupid enough to say anything.

Bella also acted like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, flashing Alec a secret smile. Very odd.

Felix and Demetri stood and made their way in front of Bella, they hadn't put anything on the table and it soon became apparent why, Felix pulled up a crudely wrapped lump, which appeared to be wrapped in actual A4 sheets of paper. 

Demetri gave a dramatic bow, Felix speaking for them “For your travels Bella. We may have only known you for a blink of time, but we will remember you always. 

Demetri finished “And should you fall into strife, I will find you. Always.” Alright kind of ominous, I couldn’t tell if it was brotherly protectiveness or just how Demetri was, elegant with a touch of creepy.

Bella didn't seem bothered and ripped off the paper to reveal a backpack, very practical.

“Hey wait a minute,” I said to Bella, “You told them before you told me?”

She gave me a pointed look “You were otherwise preoccupied when I made the decision.”

I heard Caius snort behind me and a startled sound escape Aro which, in turn, seemed to scandalise the twins who looked to their creator with horror.

“Alright. Fair point,” I mumbled conceding, and shooting Caius a dirty look. 

From there the night progressed fairly mundanely, I helped Bella pack, insisting on doing it myself instead of a Vampire, I wanted to drag out our time together. It was a little saddening but I was also very proud of her, I hadn’t thought she would drop out of school but I one hundred per cent agreed that her decision was the best one.

I finished pulling her into a hug and bidding her goodnight before visiting Olly in his room and doing the same. I was about to head to the South wing where the Kings rooms were but instead headed through my own door.

I stood there in the entrance for a few minutes trying to remember why I’d decided to go in when it hit me. I rushed over to my computer and refreshed my emails, expecting one might be there from Derek telling me if the judge approved the warrant. Instead, I found 23 unopened emails, 6 were from Derek and 2 from other colleges, the rest Depika. “Jesus Crist.” Hurriedly sitting on the stool in front of the computer I clicked on the earliest one. It was from Derek.

I scanned the email and swore, pulling up the next and the next. 

  
  


Captain 

_Washington’s a mess Adams, people are still going missing in Seattle, although the gang violence unit has taken over not many leads have been found, random pieces of statues keep turning up though. I’m thinking the feds would want in on it but seems like they're pretty busy at the moment._

  
  


**Depika**

**_Hey Blue, just a heads up the boss is looking stressed today, something came in about the Wonka case. I think you’re being taken off it._ **

****I felt a rush of terror grip me, why would I be taken off the case? I hurriedly clicked on the next email.

  
  


Captain

_Adams you're needed in Kennewick ASAP, the feds are involved but they are specifically requesting you on this case Blue. They've given Wonka to another department to follow up, it’s being processed at the moment. Feds want you in the field and on sight, they have a desk in Kennewick for you. I don’t like it either, believe me, I’ve argued for hours but they aren't budging. The quicker you wrap up their case then the quicker you can take back Wonka, I have a bad feeling the fed are gonna screw up your hospital lead if word gets out to the press before the judge approves the warrant I don’t know how this psycho's going to react._

Captain

_Blue I got more bad news. I’ve been shaking some guys down and found out the feds want you in the field because they heard about that Wilmers boy and the follow up with that hospital, they think you’ll work faster if you have access to everything they have, you'll need to meet with Senior Special Agent Dacian he’s overseeing this one and is the guy who requested you._

  
  


**Depika**

**_Did you hear? More than 50 people checked into hospitals last night, with various burns, the staff are working overtime to try and reduce the damage, feds don’t know what happened or where they came from cause no one's saying anything._ **

  
  


Well shit, looks like I was leaving, after all, my mates were not going to be pleased. Packing my stuff quickly I dropped my laptop into my satchels and swung it over my shoulder, before heading to go tell them. I hated giving such short notice but I’d already left it too long and if the feds were involved it was bad.

I hesitantly pushed open Marcusu’s door to find said Vampire sitting at his desk reading, while Aro zipped around at breakneck speed talking on the phone, Caius seemed to be keeping up with the conversation Aro was having a piped in every now and again. I pushed the door open further to announce my presence.

Once Aro noticed me he stopped speeding around and hung up the phone, noting my bag he shot me a questioning look. I sighed going to sit beside Caius so I could see them all, “I have bad news.”

\--IMMORTAL--

_They were not pleased._

“You’re leaving.” Caius deadpanned hurt echoing in his voice,

“Hey now that’s not fair, I said this could happen, and I’m coming back-”

“But why now! Why do you have to leave tonight?”

I felt my hackles rise, people were getting hurt didn’t he understand that? “I have a job, Caius, and not showing up to it would cause a huge amount of suspicion, you don’t think my boss wouldn't kick up a huge stink if I suddenly dropped off the face of the earth without responding to his emails, especially about a crisis?”

Marcus interjected, “We do understand dearest, truly, but try to see it from our perspective we only have known you for such a short while to see you leave so soon…”

I took in a breath, I knew my emotions were high at the moment from the flurry of information still whirring in my head. My detective brain trying to find the answers to questions I only had more questions for, not to mention the time frame was short, not only did I have this latest mystery on my hands I had a serial killer who might slip through my fingers when we were so close.

“I understand why you think that I could put this off for you, and believe me I want to spend the rest of eternity getting to know you all and show you I love you,” I paused to emphasize that point looking them each in the eyes, “But I have to fix this situation before it gets worse and ricochets onto another problem-” I searched desperately for a way to make them understand. “-What if it got about that Vampires sparkle in the sun? Not a problem if you stay out of the sun, but now the public knows something if someone slips up the problem turns from nothing into a huge reveal.”

I could see that they understood but were still hesitant. Caius frowned “Fine but we sent the guard, I’ll not have you human and unprotected going into a dangerous situation.”

“What no.” I snapped, “I’ve taken care of myself fine enough without a ‘guard’ to protect me. They want me to talk to suspects not enter a war zone. I don’t suddenly need babysitting! '' As far as I was concerned that was non-negotiable.

Looking at Causes clenched jaw I could tell he felt the same. _What happened to letting me go after a week if I had decided to?_

Marcus tried to sway me “Darling we only want you safe-”

“How the hell am I supposed to do my job whilst worried about Vampires watching over me and causing more problems for me to solve when bodies with teeth marks suddenly start showing up!” I threw my hands up and started to pace the room.

Caius snarled “I’ll not have my mate half a world away with no one to protect them.”

“I’m not a helpless human!”

Marcus frowned “We are more worried about other Vampires that humans dearest, they can smell you are our mates and we have several enemies.” I took in a shaky breath, I knew it was logical for them to worry but my point still stood, people would notice if Vampires were feeding in the area and it would fall into my lap to fix.

Aro looked torn between wanting to back up his other mates and trying to calm the argument, finally, he settled on a compromise, “The situation in Seattle needs to be dealt with, it is most likely a newborn army being created, we can send the elite guard to handle it, they are several cities from you the Blue, but still within the same country.”

I hesitated, that was a good idea, “I’m fine with that.” I wasn't sure what he meant about an army but I would ask later. I turned to Caius who seemed to be mulling it over before he gave a reluctant nod.

“When will you return?” Inquired Marcus

“I don’t know, hard to say but I plan on trying to wrap up the burn mystery the feds want me on and hopeful push forward the serial killer trial, once we get the judge to let us ID the perp.”

Marcus nodded in understanding and there was a tense moment before Caius pulled me into his body in a gentle embrace. “I am sorry Blue, I didn't mean to start a fight.” He made no excuses or reasons for his actions but simply apologize, it was unexpected and I was beginning to learn my mates were just as shocking in their actions as I was to them.

“If this is a fight we would have a happy marriage I think,” He chuckled and I sunk into the vibrations “I understand I really do if the roles were reversed and you were the physically weaker species I’d be protective, but I can’t live the rest of my life without risk. If I feel anything is wrong, anything at all, I’ll call you. I promise.”

Two more bodies enveloped me and I hung onto that moment burying it into my memory bank as a moment of safety and understanding.

\--IMMORTAL--

I spent the rest of the night with them, playfully exploring their bodies as I had the one before, not needing the sleep Bella craved before our flight. I noticed Aro looked rather out of it whenever he touched me like he wasn’t fully there, I kind of hated it and did my best to bring him into the moment with my touches but it didn’t seem to work.

In the morning I dressed and told Bella my plans, letting Olly know he was welcome to come if he wanted, surprisingly he declined despite his mates being sent on a mission, he said he wanted to play with the Kings though so I wasn't worried.

The ride to the airport was quiet, Bella and I were going to different sides of the state so we were catching separate flights, the elite guard was taking the same flight as Bella and embraced me before I left.

I noticed Demetri take a sniff of my scent as though assuring himself he knew it. “I thought you didn't even have to meet a person to be able to find them,” I teased.

He didn’t smile back instead gave me a solum look “I would not want to fail on account of arrogance milady.”

I didn’t know what to say after that only tightening my smile and turning to board the plane.

On the plane ride over I made sure to ponder every different reason I could for what had happened, I hadn’t been sent any information besides Depika’s words on the hospital, I assumed that's why I was being called in, Depika was good at assigning gossip to the appropriate source.

I made it into Kennewick at 6:00 AM and immediately went to the police station, walking up to the secretary I asked if Senior Special Agent Dacian was around. The secretary clearly unhappy to be on the early morning shift scowled as though I was the single reason her life decisions had gone wrong, and I knew today was going to be a fantastic one.

“Why do you want him?”

I gave her an incredulous look “I’m Detective Adams, I was told he needed me?”

“We don’t have any Officer Dacian's with this brank, you’ll have to got to another.”

I tried to resist snapping at her, my emotions not working in my favour “ No not, _Officer._ Senior Special Agent, with the FBI.”

“This is a police station.” Oh for fu-

I turned away from her and strode further into the police department ignoring her yell that I wasn’t allowed to be there without a badge. I had a badge thank you very much.

I wandered the corridors searching the places that might indicate if there was an FBI meeting room, or something similar, I rarely got involved with other branches of the force so I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure of the workings between the FBI and the police force.

My problem was solved when a girl around my age ran straight into me, “Oh I’m terribly sorry.”

I laughed a little bit of tension leaking out of me as the girl extended her arm to pull me up, “I’m fine, in a hurry?”

She groaned her brown curls bouncing on a similar coloured jacket, “Yea the boss is ragging on my to get a no-show detective.”

I grinned “That 'no-show' wouldn’t happen to be a Detective Adams would it?”

She gave me a shocked look “You’re Detective Adams?”

“The one and only, sorry about the time, the secretary-”

She cut me off “-Oh I _know_! What a bitch.” She grabbed my hand and began to pull me through the corridor into one of the debrief rooms. Calling out as she entered “Got her boss.”

A striking-looking man whirled around at the call. He appeared in his early 40s with dark brown hair and a strange enigmatic feel to his appearance, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Remembering my manners I held out my hand and shook his, introducing myself, “Detective Adams Sir, I’m told you asked specifically for me?”

He seemed to close his eyes briefly when he stepped closer to shake my hand, nodding “Yes, you are the detective looking into long-forgotten mysteries and solving ones no one cares to follow up?”

He had a strange accent I couldn’t place. “Ah yes, I suppose,” It was odd he knew about my little history project but I brushed it aside, the Captain had probably told him.

He gave a long uncomfortable stare before gesturing to the table to sit. The other girl who I didn’t actually know the name of yet, took the cue and sat, I, however, stood behind mine with the mask of impatience, “Not to be rude, but I don’t even know what I’m being assigned to, it would help me a lot if I was able to actually know what I am supposed to be ‘detecting’.”

He hummed gesturing to the documents in front of him and pushing a few towards me as he spoke “I am afraid that’s the problem Blue-” I felt a role of disgust flow through me at the use of my first name, it felt way too personal and almost like a way to artificially form a bond. I brushed myself off, I was being too paranoid, my mate's worries were getting to my head.

“-We do not know the exact cause nor do we know if it was an accident or premeditated attack. I picked up one of the photos trying to figure out what it was and promptly dropped in back onto the desk in revulsion, what I had thought was rotting flower petals was actually someone's skin.”

Dacian grinned at my expression, and I gave him a horrified one in return “It looks like it’s being eaten away!”

The girl beside me nodded “That’s because it is,”

I turned to her “What?”

She gestured to the stack of images and I calmed my stomach before reaching fro them and grimacing as I flicked each one onto the table.

“They're chemical burns, specifically Hydrogen Peroxide. About 50 people showed up at the hospitals late a couple of nights ago, the hospitals managed to stop the Hydrogen Peroxide from doing any more damage, but they only just finished that, no one's died yet, but Jesus.” I silently agreed letting my face show it.

Dacian took up the reins again, “The problem is we aren't sure how it happened, obviously they were involved in something criminal because no one's talking, they insist it wasn't anything they were doing but no one is saying what it is they were doing, so we’ve got nothing.”

My mind was whirling “If it was an attack, the perpetrator could have been attempting to take the law into their own hands, this could be a moral crusade, in which case it could happen again.”

He pursed his lips “Yes, or it could have been a chemical experiment gone wrong, or an attempt for someone to become a spree killer, mass murderer, I’m leaving that in your hands Blue, I suspect this case could take you two months, one at the minimum-”

“-A month!” I spat incredulously “-If this is a targeted attack of any kind and we don’t know what or why they are being targeted, they could potentially harm hundreds!”

“Blue if you finish this case earlier then good job, but with no one willing to talk It doesn't look good for you.” He left after that apparently finished handing off his assignment, but not before leaning over my shoulder and brushing my hair aside from my neck with a creep chuckle.

He was gone before I could demand what the hell was he doing, and I was left fuming at the door, I knew my day was going to be a bad one.

“He’s always like that.”

I turned to face the girl I had yet to learn the name of and offered her a sympathetic look, “I take it he’s your superior officer?”

“Not for long, 4 months maybe. But yes I’m Special Agent Smith, underling of Senior Special Agent Dacian.”

“Your name is Special Agent Smith?”

She snorted “Hey don’t mock, your's is Blue.”

“Fair enough. Got a first name?”

She looked embarrassed at the oversight “Oh yes, um it’s Allison, you can call me Alli if you want.”

I stuck out my hand “Blue. _You_ can call me Blue.”

She understood what I wasn’t saying “Have to admit, he hasn’t done that before, little creepy.”

I nodded trying to forget Dacian I turned back to the images, “So have you interviewed anyone yet?”

“Tried, he’s not wrong, no one will talk.”

I gather up all the documents and shoved them into my satchel to sort later, “Come on then, let's go try again.”

One perc of being back in America was Derek had arranged for my Bike to be sent over to me, so I lead the Special Agent out of the police building and held out my helmet in an offering, “Wanna come for a ride?”

“Hell yeah!”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all would not belieeeeve the amount of research I had to do for this chapter.

* * *

The interview process was awful, I didn't do fieldwork and I knew part of the reason was that I got too emotionally invested, I looked at the remains of the people who had been subjected to highly concentrated amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide and I nearly cried. There was a 20-year-old woman blind for the rest of her life because some of it had gotten into her eyes, two men had been foaming at the mouth and vomiting, whilst nurses struggled to insert equipment allowing them to breath, and that was only the stuff I could see.

I knew there was a lot more damage, permanently scarring these people, which I wasn't privy to, I wasn't allowed to know the medical ailments in full because they had all forbidden it from being given to us. It was frustrating, on one hand, I understood the reluctance if what they had been doing was illegal, then anything they provided might go against them in the case, even if it was to find the sicko who did this to them. I couldn't reverse their injuries but I could land them jail time, really these people had suffered enough in my opinion.

Yet, I still needed to find the guy, I don't believe for a second this was an accident on the victims part, and they agreed, all willing to say it had been a malicious attack, but not why. I needed to know so it wouldn't happen again to others, but even my guilt-tripping did nothing. "Can't we do a plea deal or something?" I desperately asked Alli.

She shook her head "They wouldn't go for it, it would mean betraying all their friends, or more than friends." She muttered the last part with a look to the beds that had been pushed together so three of the victims could grip each other's hands in comfort.

More than friends? Something was on the tip of my tongue, actually, lots of things were, nothing about this situation felt right, it was horrifying to even be in the hospital, I couldn't think. "Hey Alli, do you need a ride back to the station?"

"No, I'm going to see if I can find anything here, are you leaving?"

I nodded "For now, I just need some air."I made it outside, into the parking lot and to the edge of a bush before I vomited. I sucked in a panicked breath. I didn't understand what was happening, ever since leaving the Kings I felt a stab in my heart, just like every time I had tried to bring up my past with them, and Dacian something was off about him. Turning to slump against the outer brick of the building, hidden enough from view I sucked in-breaths and tried to organise my thoughts.

**Problem** : Hydrogen Peroxide attack

 **Motive** : Unknown

 **Location of attack** : Unknown

 **Victims** : 56 individuals, not appearing to have any relation, most from the age range early 20s to late 30s.

I paused my mind locking onto an unknown, Location of attack. I didn't know that because I didn't know the motive, but it worked both ways If I could figure out where all these people had come from then I could figure out the motive which would lead to the attacker. So 56 people all went to the hospital two nights ago. The same Hospital, did they walk or drive? I stood up and began to walk around the car park looking for a mass of vehicles before realising a better way and dashing inside the hospital again.

I rang the secretary's bell and a moment later a cheerful young man appeared. "Hello, how can I help?"

I held up my badge "Detective Adams, I would like to see the Hospital parking security footage from Saturday night if you please."

"Just give me a moment to bring it up." I nodded and drummed my fingers against my thigh while I waited. A second later he ushered me behind the desk and left me to watch the video while attending to another.

Pulling out the documents from my satchel, I found when the cops had been called and set the secretary feed a few minutes before. It was blank for a moment then people practically dragging each other down the sidewalk came into frame, in an understandable hurry they didn't stay long in the picture before they disappeared into the building.

Having enough to give me a lead I pulled out my USB and after asking the secretary I copied the minutes across. The video was for my report, not court, it wouldn't hold up unless it was the original feed. I left after telling the secretary to lock the feed in the hospital safe and let no one into it unless they were of proper authority.

Walking out the doors again I began to head in the direction I had seen the victims trail from, they hadn't used any cars, so it was safe to assume they were close, a group of that size looking like zombies passing through the street on a Saturday night, someone was bound to have noticed.

Obviously the Hospital was accessed near the main street so I couldn't very well ask a passing car, but after the park which was more a grassy parking lot, was the beginning of the city. I headed that way and let my feet take me in a straight line from where I'd seen the trail of broken bodies. I must have walked for a good 40 minutes, finding myself deeply immersed under the tall buildings and back alley corner shops.

It was still morning so the fluorescent neon lights from cities I usually recognised were absent, set with more mundane white lights and vibrant yellow M's. After walking around for a while, I saw a few suspicious-looking doors, but more in a general law-breaking sense, rather than what I was looking for. I didn't find any more inspiration in the city. My lead falling flat. I returned to the hospital to retrieve my bike and head to the apartment Rău had apparently organised for me to stay in while I worked.

I knew it was irrational to think I would solve it in a day, but the lack of any information at all was eating at me. I flinched at the image my brain supplied to those words and rapidly dismissed them. I just needed to think clearer. Flopping onto the bed of my apartment I immediately sat up again, I knew what I had to do! Pulling out my phone I pulled up one of the numbers that had been programmed in before I left Italy.

"Are you alright Dearest?" I relaxed at Marcus's voice, it was strange the things they made me feel.

"Yes thanks, I'm fine. Although I am stumped and needed something to calm me down so I figured you'd be a good bet."

"Are you stressed, Darling?" I fell back onto my bed and cleared my mind of anything but my mate's words and my answers.

"Sometimes I hate humans."

"That doesn't sound good." I liked that he hadn't jumped to conclusions and was letting me vent at my own pace, It's why I had chosen him to call, Caius was too worried right now and Aro would have too many of his own theories which would just overwhelm me, I needed someone to listen.

"Someone has attacked a bunch of people and caused them lasting harm, yet those people won't tell me anything I can use to find the guy, because it could get them in trouble."

"So you dislike these people, keeping the truth from you?" He said trying to understand.

"No, no, I definitely understand their perspective, it's the attacker I hate, to be so malicious and cruel to innocents-"

"-Are they innocent? You said they feared trouble for their own actions?"

I huffed "I don't know what they've done against the law, but unless it was a crime worse than the torture they have endured, they don't deserve it."

He seemed to hum over the phone "You believe the punishment should fit the crime?"

"I don't think Human laws are of the same importance to uphold as yours are. You guys only have a few which are imperative for your survival, we have thousands that are not always clear cut and can vary from place to place, whatever they have done that was illegal, could very well be legal in a different place, but doing something with the intent to harm another is, it's wrong. Yes, I believe the punishment should fit the crime."

"What motives have you considered?"

"Well the main one, being someone disliked whatever illegal activity was occurring and took matters into their own hands." I stared at mine as I said it.

There was a pause before he spoke again "You are aware Amore, that we do very much the same thing. We collect those we deem guilty and we feed on them, playing god much like this person you are hunting."

I frowned, that was different, "No the punishment of the guilty doesn't bother me, it's that I don't believe these 56 people were doing anything to harm anyone else, which in my books makes them innocent. With Aro's gift you are able to tell if someone is guilty, point blank, no lying or deception, no false accusations. It's completely different."

"I am glad you think so, I to do not believe in malevolent behaviour towards one who is not deserving of it, you will find even in our trials, to ensure our laws are upheld, Aro myself and Caius will ensure that the guilty are most definitely guilty if there is a shred of doubt we will ensure it is pressed until the verdict is clear."

That was reassuring to know actually, I had felt a little fearful since the King's ex-wives had put the image of having to witness someone being tortured in the courtroom, it had never been the torture that bothered me but the fact they were guilty of no sin, or at least in my head. Thankfully now that worry was washed away.

"Thank you, Marcus, I feel much better now."

"Any time Darling, I shall give your best to our mates?"

"Please do."

I hung up and rolled off the bed flopping on the floor with a groan, before moving to my satchel and pulling out the piles of paper and photos. Shoving the photos in a corner, for now, I focused on organising the papers, not much except reports from the first officers who responded to the hospital calls. I went to pick up another piece and my gaze fell on a darker edge of paper within the pile. I pulled it until I held it in front of me. My eyes widened as I recognised it as one of the ancient documents I'd borrowed from the Seattle library.

Ignoring my dead-ended research, for now, I stood and brought the paper back into the light over the kitchen bench. It was the original Latin text, not my translated version. One word stood out to me: Dacia, it was a Latin word I hadn't translated assuming it was a place or name. Senior Secret Agent Dacian. I wasn't sure how he fit into this if he did at all, I was probably drawing lines where there was nothing, still, I considered it, he was definitely not Italian or of Latin roots.

Grabbing my computer and setting it up beside the paper I pulled up google translate and typed in Dacia under Latin translating to English, a translation popped up; Nomad, strange, stranger still was the little grey text underneath my typed 'Latin' which suggested I try the word in the Romanian translator, I did.

I pulled back stumped once I'd switched it to Romanian the translation on the English side where it was supposed to tell me what it meant only had the exact same word spelt back at me. Curious I typed in Dacian under the Romanian side nothing but the same word spelt back. I was about to give up when I clicked on the arrow switching the two sides out of curiosity. My interest spiked back up when I saw a difference in the two boxes. On the right under the Romanina heading translated from an English Dacian to Dacic. It didn't mean anything to me so I typed it into my browser.

The first thing that came up was a politician of Serbia, not very insightful as he wasn't even born at the time the document had been created. Doing the same thing to the original words, I typed in Dacia and waited for the results it led to a car company founded in what is present-day Romania, that was a little too coincidental that the word could translate from Romanian and a company was found in the country, along with Serbia being bang up against the border. Somehow it was all connected.

On a whim I typed in the Agents last name, Dacian, the very first words caught my eye.

Dacia

_Country_

Well how about that, my previous search hadn't said that only citing the car company. Intrigued, I read on. _In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians. The Greeks referred to them as the Getae and the Romans called them Daci._

Surely that would be around the time of my source. I clicked on the first link and scanned the page.

_Dacian is an extinct language, generally believed to be Indo-European, that was spoken in the Carpathian region in antiquity. In the 1st century, it was probably the predominant language of the ancient regions of Dacia and Moesia and possibly of some surrounding regions._

I paused re-reading one of the sentences.

_**Spoken in the Carpathian region in antiquity.** _

I plugged the sentence into my search bar unsure when and where it was referring to.

_Carpathian Mountains may derive from the Sanskrit root "kar" 'cut' that would give the meaning of 'rugged mountains' Dacia, in antiquity, an area of central Europe bounded by the Carpathian Mountains and covering much of the historical region of Transylvania (modern north-central and western Romania)._

Transylvania. Like Dracula? Was Dracula real, had he been the one to kidnap and murder Didyme? If so, why had the Volturi never suspected, after all, he was rather Famous as a Vampire. I wasn't even sure if you were allowed to be a famous Vampire, I doubted it.

I closed the browser and drummed my fingers in thought. Before picking up my phone and dilling Olly.

"Hey, Bunkin!" I relaxed hearing his voice

"Hey Olly, are you busy?"

"Nope, I'm just exploring."

"Could you do me a favour kid?"

I heard him stop walking and pay closer attention, "What?"

I was rapidly figuring out that I didn't know enough about the History of the Volturi or any Vampire covens, I knew Humans had wars, and I knew Caius had sort-of led a war against werewolves, but nothing else. "I need you to go to the library and find a book on Vampire History for me please."

"Okay." He started to bound down the stairs and I grabbed a loose bit of paper and a pen to write down some notes.

If anyone could find something in that giant place it would be Olly. I scribbled down the words 'Dracula', 'Dacian', 'Dacic', 'Dacia', 'Transylvania', 'Carpathian', 'Mountains', 'Romania', 'War', 'Battle', and thinking again added three more 'Rugged', 'Cut', and 'Vlad'. After all Vlad, the III was the person I had been taught Dracula was based off, if Dracula turned out to be a dead-end, Vlad might not be.

I snapped a picture of my notes and sent it to Olly. Bring the phone back to my ear I explained, "If you can, try to find something with some of these words referenced, I think their might have been a coven of Vampires or one influential one that lived in Romania around 1000 BC, don't bother pulling any History's that start after then."

"Sir yes, sir."

I laughed picturing him giving the solute. "Thanks, Olly, you're a lifesaver."

"Bye Bookie, I'll find your old words don't worry." He hung up at that leaving me to shake my head in mock annoyance.

A look at the time showed it was now night, another day gone. I crawled into bed hoping the time spent with my mates making the process easier would carry over to America. It did not. The feeling of being watched prickled all over my skin and I tossed all night, before resigning myself to sitting in a familiar position against the kitchen counter facing the door and away from the windows. I stayed until the sun had risen again.

-IMMORTAL-

I got a call around 7:00 when I was just about finished stuffing my face with a sandwich. I answered the unknown caller because I apparently had very little self-preservation.

It was fine because I immediately recognised Alli's voice. "I've filed with the judge to get the warrant for the medical records to be released to us."

I groaned "How'd you get my number?"

"I got it from your file."

"Oh right. What did you say about the medical records?"

Her voice lit up "I filed for the judge to get us a warrant, it should only take a few days because well, the suspects aren't cooperating with police procedure, I know it's still a while, but at least it's some headway right?"

I nodded forgetting she couldn't see, "Yes. No definitely, good job I'd forgotten to do that…"

She noticed me trailing off and attempted to reassure me, "Don't worry about it, you have a lot going on right now, especially after seeing the news this morning-"

"The news?" I interrupted, I still didn't keep up with the Media since the Wonka business… wait.

She sounded nervous now, "You haven't heard?"

"No heard what?" I frantically opened my laptop and refreshed my emails to find… nothing. Nothing from Derek or Depika, surely they'd tell me if something had gone either good or bad with the case, I was just jumping to conclusions.

"The Media found out that the Washington serial killer originated in the Lincoln Hospital, but the police can't get the records because of the confidentiality problem. A bunch of people are trying to storm the place, some even brought actual flamethrowers, something about being burned."

"Holy Shit."

"Yeah, it's pretty fucked up."

It was worse than fucked up, now because of the Media outcry there was absolutely no way of the killer not knowing, he'll go into hiding out of fear, possibly change his face in the black market and we could lose our one chance of Identifying him. I couldn't think about that now. The case was someone else's problem, but it seemed like my case was about to be solved soon anyway, in just a few days we'd be able to see the extent of injuries and from there suss out what the target was, whether the attack was random or located.

"Hey look, Alli, are you planning on going in today?"

"I have to check in with the boss. But you should check in with your's, there's not much more we can do until the judge pulls through."

"Okay, I'll call you back if I find anything."

"Yep me too."

I hung up and felt a different worry hit me. If there was a mob in front of the Lincoln hospital, I had put it there, I needed to deal with it. It was a 5-hour drive from where I was, so I'd get there around midday. I wasn't sure what I planned to do but I knew I needed to see what was happening to understand and take appropriate action. Derek was going to get an earful for not letting me know about it.

-IMMORTAL-

By the time I did arrive the police had already taken care of the mob and really I hadn't needed to come, it was stupid and impulsive, but I didn't really have a different mode so instead of calling the trip a waste of time, I showed my badge to the officers and walked in.

I'd used the drive to reacquaintance myself with my Bike and let it clear my head. I had needed the time alone and away from everything, within the last year stretching two years my entire life had been flipped around, specifically in the last month, everything had been going so fast I appreciated the breather.

I allowed myself the 5 hours of freedom before I reigned it in, now at the hospital and wandering the halls. I found myself standing in the burns ward entrance, it was empty at the moment. I tried to imagine the killer lying down in the pristine while sheets covered in equally well-kept bandages and asking for a story to be read to him.

It was almost heartbreaking till I remembered the children he'd killed, I wasn't even still sure he was mentally afflicted, he had asked for the story to be repeated to him, not had it done to him like a broken record, which was sure to drive anyone mad. I considered that maybe he was getting inspiration for the kills he was planning. Did he always intend for it to turn out the same way, children displayed like trophies, metaphors only the killer could understand?

I was startled from my thoughts by a loud voice, "Are you here to scream at us too?"

I was startled by the accusation in the nurse's voice but realised it probably looked bad standing in the burn ward, the place the mob had been trying to get to. "No, I'm Detective Adams ma'am I-"

She cut me off with a gasp "Oh Detective Adams, I'm Sylvia, the nurse you spoke too."

I took her hand, surprised she wasn't yelling at me for bringing the hate party to her doorstep, I sheepishly tried to apologize "I'm so sorry for the mob, truly I despise the media's interference with active cases."

She laughed brushing me off "Nonsense dear, not your fault I had a kind man on the phone tell me what happened, he said an incompetent feddy leaked the information 'just as he'd thought they would'" She chortled apparently finding the Captain's dislike of the FBI's interference very amusing.

She was an elder woman and had clearly been in the hospital for some time, you'd never tell through her voice, as it was as lively as a 20-year-old. I was taken into one of the lounges and given a cup of tea and for the next few hours I sat and chatted, figuring it was the least she deserved for all the trouble I had rained on them, the mob may have dispersed but it was unlikely the media would let it die until the killer was caught, needing someone to blame for the 'lack of action'.

Her hand landed on my wrist with a tight grip causing me to pause in taking a sip of my tea and give her a questioning look. She became very serious, "I don't mean to bother you dear but I feel you are a good person with a kind heart. I can tell you will help me."

I nodded "Of course, what do you need?"

She pulled me up instead of answering me and took me into an unfamiliar part of the hospital, she pushed open a door and I felt the sick feeling from yesterday's return. In Front of me was a teenage girl, or what was left of her. Barely skin and bone she sat clearly sedated and in a wheelchair strapped upright. I had to dash out of the room and sink against the hallway.

My mind brought up image after image of myself in a similar position, tied to a chair sometimes with a similar-looking IV stuck into my arm. I drew in a panicked breath and felt tears flood my check unable to tell I was hyperventilating.

A calm voice pierced the all-encompassing silence I had drawn in to protect myself. "Breath on my squeeze, come on dear." I slowly registered the feeling of my hand being grabbed and the sight of Sylvia filled my vision, she squeezed my hand and I sucked in air, she squeezed it again and I released. We continued until I could breathe normally and the tears had stopped.

"I am so sorry my dear, I did not think to warn you what you would see. I'm so sorry." She continued to apologize as she pulled me into her and rubbed my back in a soothing motion. I held onto her a moment longer before pulling myself together and standing up, using the wall for support.

She seemed to regard me for a moment before standing herself. "Who is that?" I croaked out.

"I don't know." The heartbroken way she said it along with the realisation of the actual words were enough for me to shove my own problems deep down again. I was fine, I was fine, I was always fine.

Ignoring her protest I walked back into the room and stood opposite the wheelchair, I kept my breathing steadily. A strong smell of fish came from the girl and I noticed that the girl in the chair was the only thing in the room, otherwise, it was completely bare.

Noticing me looking, Sylvia explained "No one knows what to do with her so they put her in this spare operating room, no one will help her. She's only a child," She finished brokenly

I sucked in another breath, asking for the facts "Why won't they help her, isn't that a doctor's job? She's clearly malnourished-"

"-But she's not."

I paused giving her an odd look.

"She has all the nutrients she needs through that IV."

"So she was already on the IV when she what? Came here? Someone found her like this?" I gestured to her slumped and restrained form.

"She was found in the nearby fish factory by one of the workers, he drove her here but didn't want to release her in case he hurt her. Which was probably the wisest course of action, I fear that moving her would cause her body to go into shock and her heart would fail. She has been in that position for far too long."

I struggle to keep the tears from falling again. I felt sick. Someone had done this, they had kept this girl alive for reasons unknown whilst she wasted away. "Is she asleep?"

"I don't know, she could be. The drip has some form of paralytic agent, keeps her out of it but still aware, she could be sleeping right now or hearing every word unable to open her eyes or speak."

"My God. Have you informed the police? They need to begin looking into this."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," She looked close to tears now "No one will help, the police cannot identify her and won't call it a case, they are pushing it under the rug, I am doing what I can but none of the other nurses will come into the room, they are horrified and afraid, they don't want to think about it."

That was a stupid reason to refuse to treat someone, but I knew Sylvia knew that so I got a bit closer to the girl and knelt in front of her taking her hand gently and nearly gasped at how cold they were. "Sylvia, why is she so skinny, if not malnourished then what's wrong?"

"She is severely lacking in blood and from what I can see, blood has been taken out of her, too much too often, for several years at least."

"Years," I echoed back in disbelief. At the mention of blood, my mind immediately went to Vampires was this a practice I hadn't heard of? Do Vampires kidnap humans and keep them alive for years as an infinite supply of blood until they die of old age. Was this a solution to Volturi's rule of not killing conspicuously?... Did the Kings allow it?

I abruptly drew back from the girl and turned to Sylvia, blinking furiously. "Whoever did this is a monster." Human or otherwise, "I'll find them, Sylvia. I promise you."

She pulled me into a hug that warmed me from the inside but did nothing to hinder the hate I felt at the sight before me. "Thank you. I knew you were a good one."

I had a day before I had to return to Kennewick and continue the job I was being paid for, and I knew I wasn't sanctioned to be a private detective, I needed permission for my little crusade, so my first call would be getting that.

I turned back to the girl, she looked barely 16 and if she had gone for years then she was only a child when she was taken, it was a sickening thought and I couldn't continue to refer to her without a name. I gently touched her forehead which was strapped to the highback of the wheelchair. "Daniella, survivor of the night."

I took Sylvia's number before leaving, I would need all the information I could get and asked her to write down anything unusual or that came to mind about Daniella. Then I walked a few blocks away and called the Captain.

"Derek."

"I'm guessing you found out about the media slip then? Look I'm sorry I didn't tell you but-"

I cut him off "-As much as I'd love to yell at you for keeping part of my case from me, I know you did it so I could focus on my 'actual' case. Besides I have a bigger problem."

"What's that?"

I explained it to him and took a little satisfaction in the colourful language he used, cursing up and down, he managed to spit out "Yes, Blue Jesus, find that fucker, if you get harangued by the feds send 'em my way, they already have a competent Agent on their case, I'm assigning you this one, I'll have the papers done by the hour."

"Thank you, Captain."

"-Be that as it is, don't forget you have back up here in Seattle, if you need some agents to check out the field, don't go arresting some psycho with a blood fetish by yourself, got it?"

"Loud and clear captain, call for backup."

We hung up and I sighed in relief. I wasn't going to call for backup, I had already guessed the 'psycho' was a Vampire, of course, it was, draining blood from a girl. I wasn't about to get several officers killed by a supernatural being designed in every way to be our perfect predator, there was nothing a few people could do against a Vampire, I wasn't going to be the reason more innocent lives were lost.

Although it did raise the question of how Daniella had managed to escape in her paralysed state, not to mention from a vampire who could move faster than a train and could smell…

The fish. It was entirely possible she had disguised her scent with the smell of the fish and before the Vampire could track her the worker had taken her to the hospital. It was flimsy but a lead, so I walked back to my bike and headed off to the farm Sylvia had described.

I had considered calling the elite guard, they were Vampires and could definitely take one on, but I couldn't help the fear that they may not see the problem with constantly draining a human, to them, it could be normal.

-IMMORTAL-

The worker who had found Daniella wasn't there when I arrived but a friend of his helpfully showed me where she was found and then went back to his job. I stared at the normal patch of ground before looking into the forest that boarded the farm. I could see roots, twigs and other obstacles littering the floor and I knew without a doubt in my mind the girl had not escaped in a wheelchair on her own. Someone had helped her.

But then why abandon her at the last stretch, why here and why at all? It didn't make sense. Realising the only way I would find answers I headed into the forest. It was darker and blocked out more light than the one back in Forks, I found myself feeling cold and… scared.

Trying to physically shake off the feelings and get my head back into it, I pushed on. I would be no use to anyone dead, and while I had reservations about telling my mates or any other Vampire about this I needed to be smart if I was going to outwit and survive a Vampire.

I took off my shoes so I was left walking in the forest with socks which muffled my sound more. I made sure to pace myself and go slowly, I had no idea whether I was anywhere close to where Daniella had escaped from but I needed to be quiet and careful.

_Ring Ring_

_Ring Ri-_

I hastily wiped out my phone and hung it up. Whoever it was I could speak to them later.

_Ring-_

Annoyed I answered "What!" I hissed angrily

"Blue, you need to come back?"

"I- Agent Dacian?"

"Yes- I got a call from Captain Derek and I'm afraid that won't be possible, we have requested your help on this case. You need to return immediately-"

I hung up.

Rude I know, and I was definitely getting reprimanded from the higher-ups later, but even they disliked the feds so I figured I was alright, Derek had said he would handle it. If I solved this case I would go back and help the Feds, not that they needed me, but I was morbidly curious about the mysterious chemical burns, for now, I could do nothing more for them and as such, I was putting my talents to use.

I made sure to turn my phone off fully before moving forward again. It was a little odd that Dacian kept insisting I was working with him, almost like he wanted me where he could keep an eye on me. I brushed it off, everything about that guy was weird.

I walked in a straight line for a while, before realising that if I was running from a Vampire I would want to put my scent on every tree in different directions. I spun in a circle and began to head randomly making turns with the intention of getting myself lost.

How do you find somewhere you don't know? Go somewhere you've never been.

It began to significantly drop in temperature and despite the lack of light originally it became even harder to see the trees outline, signalling night had fallen. The walk from then on became more difficult, I stumbled into a few trees my mortal eyesight hadn't warned me about and I was just about to give up and turn on google maps to get out of there when I walked straight smack into a stone wall. Well, that was one way to find it.

I stood still for a few seconds listening intently to see if I had been noticed, when nothing else happened I worked on slowing my heartbeat and keeping light breaths. I stretched out and slid my hand across the stone, my eye adjusting now I was closer to let me see that the wall went the width of a room. It looked sort of like a bunker and I seriously doubted it belonged to the fishing company.

I trailed my hand along it as I walked around the edge, a shape stuck out around my shoulder height and I touched it to find a wooden frame. Window.

I stayed out of view of the window and edged closer to it only to find it had been painted over. Further along, I found a heavy iron door, there was absolutely no way I could open it without making a sound. I brushed over the handle and stopped, my hand felt a chain and, bending down to squint, I saw that the lock which held the chain together was undone. Whoever's place this was, they were home.

Holding my breath in fear I edged back. There was another structure, sort of like stables, which held creates and tools of various kinds. Walking in I found a corner behind some stacked up boxes and willed myself to calm down. If this was a vampire they would hear my heartbeat and I prayed they simply thought it was an animal.

I settled down and waited, I needed to ensure the Vampire had left before I could look into the bunker, it may hold some clues about what had happened. I tried not to picture finding a fridge filled with bags of Daniella's blood.

I didn't sleep but stayed crouched for the rest of the night. It wasn't until birds had already started singing that anything changed. A loud bang nearly caused me to jump but I managed to contain it. No doubt someone had just opened and shut the iron door. A stick snapped and I heard someone enter the structure I was in. I was greeted with another terrifying thought, what if he smelled me? I held my breath hoping it would do something to mask my scent.

Nothing happened, no one moved. Every moment that passed went by as though it were a decade. I should have told my mates, I should have told them. Then the sound of footsteps retreating echoed through the room. Oh, thank god. I knew Vampires could run at impossible speeds and they were likely gone already but I waited a good few minutes before risking moving.

Now the problem I had was I had no way to tell when they would be back. I dropped the fear of making noise and ran to the door, it was easier to see in the daylight but the trees still cast a shadow over the area. I pulled out the lock pick I kept on the inside of my watch and got to work on the door. A click sounded and I just managed to resist cheering and I yanked the door towards me fully expecting the weight behind it.

The same loud clang sounded, I stepped through and now I had a choice to make. Shut the door so it looked normal from a distance and trap myself in, or keep it open? I left it open, the lock was undone regardless and I would not be able to outrun a Vampire.

I made my way down the narrow stone passage and reaching the end came to a sharp 90-degree turn which opened into another room. This one had the same clinical air to it as the entire building, spares but with a dirty looking sheet in a corner, and various furniture in places, as though having been thrown in a tantrum. And then there was the blood, not much of it most would have probably missed the sight, but the dried red around the armrest of a wooden chair told me that someone had been restrained there.

Another few drops were on the floor underneath the same chair, I pulled out my phone and took a few pictures of the room, I may not be able to bring in a Vampire but with the proof, I could definitely get the force to admit foul play had occurred. I sent the images off to Derek immediately so he could add them to his argument if Dacian harassed him.

I held my phone up to take another shot just as I pushed open the door leading from the main room and dropped it in shock. My hand flew to my mouth and I desperately tried to muffle my scream. I knew my hands were shaking but my brain could only process the image in front of me.

Ten or so boys and girls of various ages were strapped to wheelchairs exactly like Daniella and in a perfect line against the barren wall, they were hooked up to IVs on one side and another bag on the other which could only be draining their blood.

I stumbled into the room and reached out for the first girl only to hear a strange gurgling sound. Turning around abruptly I saw what I had been unable to from the doorway. A boy probably 14 was hung on the wall by chains and his back was dripping blood to a horrifying extent. He'd been whipped.

Hurrying over to him and I placed my shaking hands over one of the wounds stupidly thinking it would do something. The boy flinched and I was left looking at my bloodied hands and the bleeding child. Snapping myself out of it I pulled off my shirt and ripped in down one of the seams then into strips.

I stood up and pulling out my lock pick unlocking his hands. He fell limp into me, which I had expected and I carefully set him on the ground and got to work trying to prevent any more blood loss. During my tying of one of the strips of material, a hand weakly latched onto my wrist. I paused and gave the boy what I hoped was a gentle smile, "I know it hurts, I'm so sorry kid, but I have to make them tight."

His eyes shone with pain but to my surprise, he only whispered: "I know."

Trying to keep the kid distracted I started up a conversation, "What's your name buddy?"

Unfortunately, that seemed to make him upset, "I don't want to be called Andy- he- he calls me Andy.."

"That's alright," I comforted, "I get it, trust me, kid. I made my own name, why don't you chose a name you like, yea?" He sobbed as I tied the last one, "That was the last one, I promise."

"I don't know. You chose a name, not Andy."

I fished out my phone and switched it on, preparing to call the elite guard, I needed them here now that people's lives were one the line, regardless if this was the work of another Vampire. "How about you tell me about you, and I'll give you a name yeah?" I flicked open the call app and swore. No service.

Hoping I could get some outside the bunker I had to make a quick decision. "Hey kid, I'm going to lift you okay, and I'm going to take you to the hospital."

He looked distraught "But the others?"

I swallowed hard, I knew that if I took the kid, it was unlikely the Vampire would feel safe keeping his operation and would likely kill them. But if I didn't do something now we would all die.

"I'm coming back for them I promise."

He looked a little better after I agreed to come back, and wrapped his arms around my neck as I picked him up. I ditched my satchel knowing it would only slow me down and gripping him tightly, hurrying for the exit. We left the bunker with no problems, and once outside I tried again to call, nothing. Mind made up, I began to run. Along the way, the kid spoke, which I half-listened to, trying to keep him from being jolted too much, and trying to go as fast as I could.

"He's going to find us. Found me last time."

"You've escaped before?" I questioned.

"I helped my sister. I pushed her out of the forest, I was going to get the others too but I could only take one wheelchair at a time."

He was silent for a while and I pondered the new information, the kid had escaped the bunker and saved his sister, then had taken her out of the forest and gone back for others. No doubt then he was found out and had been punished. "How did you get out of your wheelchair to save your sister, weren't you drugged?"

"I was very tied down, but I think last week he didn't put the needle into my arm properly. I was able to move after a few days, but I had to only move little bits at a time."

I gave him a smile "You're a really brave kid, thanks to you all those other people are going to be safe now. Your parents will be so proud of you."

He fell silent for a while at that, then casually mentioned: "We don't have any parents."

A feeling of realisation came over me, of course, they didn't, that's how they were never made a fuss over for being missing, just like Olly had been brushed under the rug, without parents to push media attention and subsequently the investigation along, rarely were their follow-ups for people no one would miss.

I huffed "Well I'm proud of you kid, you're a hero to me." I consider him for a moment "Misham, what about Misham?" I suggested a name.

"What's it mean?" he mumbled back.

"It means 'their Saviour', it's a biblical name like the one I chose for your sister."

"What's my sister's name?

"Daniella, it means survivor of the night."

He nuzzled into me "I like it."

I smiled down at him, before picking up the pace again, I needed to get the kid safe and I needed to get all the other children that were being drained like personal feeding tanks. I needed to hurry. I broke through the treeline after around an hour of running, panting and with a painful stitch, which I ignored, I tried to take in my surroundings. Using one hand to support Olly I pulled out my phone and immediately called Felix.

"My Queen?"

"Felix, are you guys done with whatever problem you have?"

I didn't really have time for pleasantries. I would apologize to him later. I walked while I talked, still trying to put distance between Misham and the bunker.

"We have assessed the situation and have not decided to step in yet. We are free if you need us."

"Yes. I need you, please. Look I think I might have gotten caught up in a Vampire problem and I don't know how good regular Vampires are tracking by scent but-"

I was cut off by Demetri apparently Felix had put the conversation on speaker. Or maybe just super hearing. "-You are being tracked?"

"I-I no, not yet, but I've found a kid bunch of kids being drained for blood, and I'm taking one to the hospital now, I'll be going back for the rest-"

"No!" Alec's yell nearly startled me into dropping the phone, which already had a crack from me dropping it previously, "You must not go back."

"You don't understand!" I cried, all the stress getting to me, "They're going to die!"

Surprisingly it was Jane who tried to calm me. "My Queen, you are also in danger of dying if you return, let us handle it, we will leave now."

"Okay. Yes leave now, please- Oh I'm in Lincoln, the forest by the fish farm, not far from the hospital. I'm taking the kid to the hospital now."

Jane spoke again "Stay in the hospital, the Vampire would not attack you surrounded by humans if he has any sense of self-preservation, no matter what you have taken from him." I bristled at the insinuation Misham belonged to the Vampire.

I said nothing else and she hung, up obviously unable to continue talking while they ran. I saw the edge of the fish farm, coming up and thanked the stars, I'd come out of the forest somewhere familiar. Dialling Sylvia, I finally made it just outside the familiar building.

"Detective Adams?"

"Slyvia, I have another kid, I found the place they are being kept, there's more but I need you to come to the fish farm and pick us up now, he's not in good condition."

"I'll be there soon."

My bike was still parked where I had left it, but I wasn't about to take the now unconscious boy, who was a bit bigger than Olly and still losing blood at worrying amounts. Sylvia definitely broke speed limits to reach us, upon the back of the ambulance opening I realised it had been an actual drive, she was sitting in the back and immediately got to work on him. She went to pull the doors closed, looking at me with a question in her eyes.

I hesitated, I was told to go to the hospital, but I knew it was a 24-hour drive from Seattle to Lincoln, I didn't know how fast Vampires ran, but I knew the one who'd taken Misham was closer. My mind remembered Jane's words 'what you have taken from him', What if Vampires didn't see it as a crime, what if they did arrive in time but decided the other Vampire got to keep the children. No. If that was the life I was getting into, I didn't want it.

"Go, I need to get the police to Corden this area off."

"They won't listen remember-"

I snapped "Then I'll make them listen."

She nodded and pulled the doors shut. I didn't wait for the ambulance to leave my sight before rushing back to my bike and kicking off the gravel.

-IMMORTAL-

It was actually incredibly easy to get the police on board, apparently, Derek had called them immediately after receiving my photos and forwarded them over, they were in the middle of gearing up when I arrived and apparently were expecting me. "Detective Blue, what do you need from us?"

The cops paused to listen and I felt a little intimidated by their clear deference to my leadership, I'd specialised into being a detective as soon as I had been able to, meaning I had very limited field experience and rarely commanded others. Shoving aside my small insecurity at the response I straightened up and began to debrief them. "Alright, the woods behind the fish farm, about an hour in, holds a stone bunker, some maniac, as you've probably seen the images, has been keeping humans. Kids, alive off IV nutrients and has been draining them of blood-"

I noticed a few offices' eyes shine with the same horror I felt at the information, and figured not all of them had seen the images. I pushed on, "He left around 6 this morning and I found a boy bleeding severely from several lacerations and just handed him over to the police. It's now 9 and I have no idea when this Psyco will be back but we need a perimeter surrounding the bunker as 11 people are still in danger and held within it."

There were several sharp nods and a deputy stood up to take the lead, "Thank you, Detective. The Alright Alpha team takes the squad cars around to the farm and head in that way. Detective, which direction was the bunker from the farm?"

"The corner of the farm closest to the gravel road heads in a diagonal line directly from that point into the forest."

"Alright, you heard her. Delta team go in from the south, Red team East. let's go!"

Everyone began filling out until I was left alone in the lobby. I could go back with them, I was worried that they would be attacked by the Vampire, but I also thought on Jane's words, it was a death wish to kill conspicuously, any Vampire who knew about the Volturi wouldn't dare take on an entire police force, and with the seat up I had seen the Vampire use I guessed he had been around long enough to know of the Volturi.

Decision made, I headed to the hospital to check on Misham and Daniella.


	11. Chapter 11

Misham was in far worse shape than I had anticipated. I made it to the hospital to find a lot of the nurses rushing around, I followed the chaos and saw a glimpse of Misham being operated on before the door was closed behind a doctor.

I went to push it open so I could demand what was happening but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. Sylvia’s voice followed, helping calm my panic, “Let them work, Detective, that's the best thing you can do for him right now.”

I let her lead me down the hall until we reached a familiar room. I sat in front of Daniella, Sylvia pulled up a chair to do the same.

“Why hasn’t anyone done anything for her?” I asked. The main thing that was bothering me was Daniella was still on the same drip that the psycho had all the others on. “It could be poisoning her.”

“True, but it is also saving her life.”

“What do you mean?” I didn’t know enough about medicine to understand and I hated it.

Sylvia thankfully was endlessly patient, “She has been on those chemicals for several years at the least if we were to take her off it so abruptly, as I mentioned before, she would go into shock, but even if that didn’t happen withdrawal would certainly occur, she is being drugged after all.”

That made sense, still I hated it, the fact she had to remain in the same position that she had been forced into for years, even after she was supposedly free. It was sickening. 

Sensing this Sylvia continued “I am weaning her off it, very, very slowly and the physiotherapists and coming in once every three days to start moving parts of her body. However, I doubt she will ever walk again. I don’t know enough about the brain to say, but from her physical injuries and the torture she endured in this mindless state, it is unlikely she will be anything but a shell, no better than comatose.”

I swallowed hard and looked away from the limp figure in the chair. If her mind was broken I didn’t think even the bite of a Vampire could save her.

I abruptly stood and began to pace. Sylvia let me, choosing to gaze out the window while we waited for news on Misham.

It came two hours later when a doctor appeared in the doorway and kindly informed Sylvia that the boy she had brought was in a coma.

I immediately raced to see him and was allowed in, luckily for everyone.

He was lying down, as pale as his skin complexion allowed him, the bed he occupied had the sheets pulled up under his chin and a machine continuously beeped to let everyone know he was still alive.

I turned to the doctor who had let me in, “What are you allowed to tell me about his injuries?”

The doctor sighed, obviously tired from all the work he’d done but began to speak, “You are the one who found him?” I nodded, and he continued “He has several infections and his heart is struggling to work with the blood loss and fighting against them, he needs a blood transfusion and even then, I am unsure when he will wake.”

I turned to him confused “Then why isn’t he getting the transfusion?”

“We don’t know his medical history or even his identity, we cannot give him blood without consent from a parent.”

“He doesn't have any, he’s an orphan,” The doctor looked a little unsure what to do now. I questioned him “Will he die, without the blood?”

The doctor nodded “It’s likely. But I cannot get a bag to set up without a signature from a guardian.”

“You can’t?” I said incredulously “You just said he’ll die!”

“I said it was likely.” I shot him a furious look and was glad he looked a little ashamed. “There are protocols I have to follow, without a legal guardian of the boy and a signature, I can’t access the vault.”

I paused thinking over his words. “So you can give a transfusion, you are just not allowed access to the blood?”

“I- yes, that is correct.”

“What’s his blood type?”

Seemingly understanding where I was going he rushed over to check his files. “O Negative”

“You gotta be _shitting_ me.” I didn’t know much about medical stuff, but I knew O negative only accepted an O negative donor, I was B positive.

I went into the hall and spotted Sylvia sitting in one of the waiting chairs, probably to give me some time with Olly. “Do you know anyone on staff with O negative blood and willing to donate now?”

She frowned “We have some in the back.”

I shook my head “No we need permission from a guardian and all I know is Misham’s an orphan he never mentioned who was looking after him before he was taken, most likely a foster home who haven't seen him in years, we need the blood from the source.”

“I’ll ask around, but I don’t think many of the staff will like bending the rules I’m afraid.”

“I have O negative,”

I nearly smacked into the girl who’d spoken and gave a surprised shout “Alli?”

“The one and only.” She gave a sweeping gesture towards her arm, “Hear you needed some of my awesome blood?”

Deciding to question her late I gave her a relieved grin and pulled her into the room. “Hey, Doc we got a doner.”

He’d already started setting up the equipment and motioned for Alli to take a seat whilst going through all the information she needed to know before doing the procedure. Alli didn’t seem the least bit worried and after the medical jargon and signing was over, to say she had agreed to the process, she queried an eyebrow at me.

“So I came all the way from Kennewick expecting to find you beating off a mob with a broom, and instead you’ve gone gung-ho into another mystery and found yourself a kid to save?”

I chuckled perching on the edge of Misham’s bed. I’d only known Alli a couple of days but she was already good company. “Seems like cases just fall into my lap.”

Sylvia chose to enter the room then and sat beside Alli, I gestured to her “Sylvia here brought me to this kid's, sister. I wasn’t expecting to find more people being drained of their blood, but I -”

“-Wait, wait- drained of blood? You’re going to have to start from the beginning.”

So while Alli was rapidly increasing Misham’s chances for survival I went over everything that had occurred in the last 24 hours. She took it pretty well, before deciding to add some good news.

“Well I didn’t actually just come to see you wielding a broom, we got the warrant for the hospital, I figured you would want to come and take a look at the medical reports, see if you could gain any answers from them.”

“That’s great, you could have just called though, you didn’t need to drive 5 hours.”

She gave me an annoyed look “I did call, your phone was off.”

Oh she must have called in the morning when I still had it on silent. I gave her a guilty look “Sorry,”

She rolled her eyes at me, “Well please say you’re coming back to the case, I know Dacian was complaining about you being moved onto, well this one I suppose, but I’ve looked at the reports and can’t make heads or tails of it.”

I chewed my lip thinking. The police force of Lincoln was now aware of the case and would be looking thoroughly into what had happened and who the culprit was, they didn’t really need me. There was the other matter that I couldn’t close this case, I knew it was a Vampire and hopefully, the guard would track them down and bring them to Italy for a trial, but I wouldn’t be much use here.

“I’m coming back-” I gave Sylvia an upset look “The detectives here will take over, I Have to finish up a few loose ends in a Seattle case as well.”

Sylvia nodded showing she understood “Thank you, Detective Adams, for all you’ve done. I hope that the serial killer case works out, and from the policeman on the phone, I hope more competent people like yourself are put back in charge.”

I thanked her and was engulfed by an excited embrace from Alli, “Yay, you’re rather fun to be around you know.”

I gave her a look of disbelief, these past few days I had been incredibly stressed and short-tempered, not my usual self at all. “Well if you like me now, wait until I start being nice.”

She snorted and stood up, the doctor announcing she was done. “Alright, I’m heading back now. I want to get back to those files before nightfall, you coming?”

“I’ll take my bike soon, you go ahead, I’ll meet you at the hospital. Thank you, by the way- for the blood.”

She nodded and took her leave. The doctor had cleared out so I was left with Sylvia and Misham.

She didn’t say anything at first just pulled me into an embrace, “I’ll let you know if there are any changes in either of them. Do try and visit though, they say coma patients can hear what you are saying, and I know that Daniella can.”

“I’ll come as often as I can,” I promised.

I made my way out of the hospital, thanking the Doctor who gave me a gentle pat.

I was just about to mount my bike, making a disgusted look at my dirty and wet socks when I got a phone call. What now?

“Hello?”

“Is this Blue Adams?”

“Yes it is, who’s this?”

“Deputy Lock. We met a few hours ago.”

My mind flashed to the man who’d barked out orders, and I was immediately worried, did something happens? “Are you alright, do you need something?”

“The operation is going fine, perimeter secured and victims being transferred to the hospital, however, I’m back at the precinct with 4 suspects who insist they were looking for you, they tried breaching our line but we caught them and brought them back for interrogation.”

“Damn it.” That would be the elite guard, I had almost forgotten about them

“I take it you know the people I’m talking about.”

“Yes, I do.”

“You’d better come down here, their statements are not painting them in a good light, if they want to be released tonight you’ll have to smooth everything over.”

“Thanks, Deputy, I’ll be right there.”

I hung up the phone and had to give myself a second to stop the laughter that bubbled up. The image of two teenagers and two slightly older men trying to explain to the police force that they ‘had to go' into the blocked off area, was funny enough. Paired with the knowledge they were all badass Vampires who had to allow themselves to be arrested to keep up appearances, it was too funny.

Once composed I pulled on my helmet and headed to the station, trying to figure out some believable excuses for their appearance at a crime scene.

\--IMMORTAL--

The entire situation got even better from then on.

Because they were, technically suspects the police had to put them in separate rooms and interrogate them. I got the privilege of watching from behind the one-way glass with an exasperated Deputy beside me, making a little sigh every time they answered a question.

Demetri was clearly trying hard to be convincing, but due to being out of touch with the present day, it wasn’t going so well for him.

“Why were you heading back to the scene of a crime at 1:27Am today?”

“I was attempting to reach my queen.”

Que another sigh. I sniggered, it was all very amusing for me and that served to only exasperate the Officer beside me further.

“Who are you referring to when you say ‘my queen?”

“Blue Adams, grand Detective”

I was rather impressed that the interrogator was being so professional and attempted to keep getting answers in an orderly fashion from the Italian.

_Alec’s one not so much._

“The Queen is an old lady who I’m afraid to say doesn't reign over this land anymore. So I’ll ask you again why you were in the Forest junior?”

Alec seemed to be looking around desperately very much out of his element. “Uh, my q- I mean Miss Adams called us and told us what happ-”

The officer clearly isn't believing a word of it “-The detective called you. Why? Huh, what's a young kid like yourself going to do against that Psyco? Unless it was you who did that to those poor kids?”

Jane evidently thought along the same lines as her brother and had explained their presence there, by stating I had called them, leading to a similar question of her age and relevance to the situation.

She reacted to the accusation decidedly _less_ well than her brother.

“Maybe I did.”

I smacked my forehead as soon as she’d said it, internally cringing at the effort it was going to be to get them out of jail before the next hundred years.

Felix was by far the worst, whereas the others had all been with a ballpark of a similar story, he for some reason thought it was better to make up a plausible story. Which would have worked if it didn’t contradict so badly with the other three.

“-And so I took my brother and our younger cousins, and thought we should go on a family outing, the forest seemed as good a place as any.”

“Why did your ‘brother’ claim he needs to ‘see the queen?’”

“It was a game we were playing with the… kids.”

I snorted. What a bunch of idiots, honestly they could take down an army of Vampires, and are some of the most feared beings of the supernatural world, yet they couldn't lie to a police officer. To think Sulpicia and Athenodora had tried to scare me away with these dorks.

I quickly realised I had to get them out of it when I heard the mention of a lie detector test. Yeah no, that would end in disaster.

I turned to the Deputy who was waiting with crossed arms and an unimpressed look, “I don’t think they did it, Adams, but what the hell are they on? Do I need to run a drug test?”

I internally panicked, they didn’t have blood so that was definitely not an option. “No, I’m so sorry. These guys are my mother's relatives. I was supposed to meet them in Kennewick but when I transferred here, I called them to let them know. I gave the rundown about where I was going, I didn’t think they would show up at the crime scene, I’m sorry for the mix-up.”

His glare softened “Want to explain the ‘queen’ business?”

“They're Italian and come from one of those old families, sort of people who know what cutlery to use with which foods. They started calling me that when I was younger because it was sort of normal, and my middle name's Regina- which I suppose is Italian, for Queen. It’s just a nickname but they’re weird about that sort of thing.” I gave him a 'what can you do' smile, hoping my lying was a lot more convincing than their attempts.

He sighed again before picking up his radio “Alright let ‘em go.”

“Sir?” One of the interrogators clearly had reservations about that judgment call.

“They're Italian, come from Royalty or something, think they're top shit. Just a bunch of fancy kids, wrong place wrong time.”

“Yes, Sir, Leading them into the lobby now.”

“Thanks, Deputy,”

He nodded “Yea, yea. I trust you're handling the case for us now, we have it covered from here.”

“Yes, I’m heading back to Kennewick. “

He held out my satchel. “Seems you left this in your hurry to save the kid, it has your badge in it, figured you’d want it back.”

"Yes, thanks." I took his dismissal and hurried to the lobby. I only had to wait a few seconds before they were led through the door and told to stay out of trouble. I saw the relief in their eyes when they spotted me and I gave a cheeky wave. “You guys seemed to have a fun adventure.”

Jane scowled, muttering a dark word under her breath but led them over to me and gave a brief sniff, her eyes scanning for injuries.

“I’m fine,” I insisted.

Demetri stepped close and inhaled deeply. “I can spell the-”

I interrupted, still very aware we are in a police station “-How about we talk outside?”

Once we were away from prying ears Demetri voiced his concern “I can smell a foreign Vampire on you but I cannot tell where it’s from.”

The other Vampires looked as shocked at that as I felt “What do you mean? You can’t track them, I thought you could track anyone?”

He gave a frustrated sound, “I believe my gift is being blocked.”

Felix spoke up “Is that even possible?”

Alec shook his head “It isn’t supposed to be, but it’s possible that Vampire could have a gift of the ability to disable other?”

Jane nodded “Yes, we will have to consult the Kings, they will know what to do.”

Demetri huffed, clearly annoyed that his nose was unhelpful to him. “It is like I can only smell them on you, not where they are or where they came from.”

“Like a normal Vampire then?” Alec suggested.

He nodded.

“Well, you guys contact the Kings and tell them, I’ll call them tonight as well to let them know how I am.”

“We will probably be told to check the bunker for evidence and clues to aid in a trial against the Vampire. Will you be staying with us?” Felix asked

“No. I have to go back to my work as well. But you're far closer here than you were to Seattle, so it should be fine.”

Felix looked doubtful but agreed, letting me go.

\--IMMORTAL--

I met up with Alli at the hospital bare feet now, since I'd removed the offending socks. Grabbing the files, we went over a few together and she pointed out the similarities she’d noticed, having had more time to read them.

“From what I could see, most of the actual deep tissue damage, meaning the Hydrogen Peroxide was there longer and probably in a higher concentration, was around the hands and genitals. A few got it in their eyes, which it immediately started eating away at the proteins and causing cell damage, those that got it on their face lost their eyesight in at least one eye.”

I shuffled through a few of the reports “That’s very strange, why would it be concentrated around their hands and privates? Were they wearing clothing?”

“Yes everyone came in clothed, it’s possible the chemical was injected and travelled to places of higher protein.”

I shook my head “No it’s a chemical not a virus besides there is no sign of an injection sight-” I tapped the desk in thought “-Did you find out what the doctors used to neutralise it? Or did they just wash it off with water?”

“It was too deep to just wash off, they used Sodium Thiosulfate, then water.”

“Can you get me some?”

She looked confused “Why do you need it?”

I gestured to the stack of medical files in front of me, “Don’t really want to end up like these people if I’m hunting the psycho who did this.” I liked Marcus’s terminology from our phone conversation, I’d never seen it as me hunting bad guys, and I wasn’t always, sometimes it was a kid who ran away from home, but I found I quite liked the thought of hunting the sick person willing to destroy 56 people's lives.

“That makes sense.” Alli rushed to get me the neutraliser and came back with a capsule of small white chips. “Put one of these chips into-” She held up a bottle that used to hold hand sanitizer, “This bottle, make sure water’s in it first, let it dissolve, then put it on the area. If it’s not able to be done using this much then you need to come to the hospital.”

“Thanks.” I took them from her.

“What are you planning on doing?”

“Well unless you have somewhere else to be, I was going to take a trip into town, I looked into the security footage and I saw that’s where they came from, besides I have an idea what they might have been doing.”

She jumped up, pushing the files into a pile and shoving them in my satchel, “Well then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

I smiled and ran after her, careful not to run into anybody. Alli sure did have a lot of energy and it was rather contagious.

I didn’t bother to ask if she wanted to ride with me, seeing as she was already waiting by my bike, I simply handed her my helmet and took off.

I really did have my suspicions about what was going on, once I’d seen the medical reports it began to get a lot clearer and so once we made it to the beginning of the taller buildings I pulled the bike over and headed to a place that had caught my eye a couple of days before.

Alli dismounted and hurried after me, surprisingly compliant with the lack of information I was giving her, but it was just a hunch so I didn’t want to say anything just yet.

Now that it was the night the city looked different, the neon signs were glowing brightly. I much prefer the chaos of the night to the strange mundanity found in the streets during the daylight hours.

I slipped into an ally, making sure Alli was close behind, we were getting into the dodger parts and as it was night time we were unlikely to run into a friendly face behind the dumpsters.

I stopped outside a door that was painted red and had an inconspicuous high heel drawn above the frame. I turned to Alli. “Okay, lose the badge.”

“What?” 

I figured she probably deserved an explanation so I moved a bit away from the door, “I was thinking about what you said when we first met the victims. You said, they wouldn’t rat on their friends and then you mentioned they might be more than friends.”

She looked confused “It was just a passing comment, not really a ‘detective deduction’.” She used her fingers to make quote marks in the air.

I grinned “Ah Alli you don’t give yourself enough credit, given more time I reckon you would have come to much the same conclusion as myself.”

“Which is?” She prompted

“The injuries predominantly affected the genital area, and the psycho who did it needs to have a motive for harming a bunch of people. Those same people were doing something illegal they wouldn’t give up but claimed was a direct link to the motive.”

“Prostitution?”

I patted her on the arm, “Sort of. Technically under the law, yes, but I suspect something less obvious, the police would have found a brothel. Now a sex club, well that’s less likely.”

“Sex clubs are illegal?”

“Yes, like I said, technically any paid-for sex is illegal, they people pay to enter the club with the intentions of having sex with another payee. They could get in some serious trouble for that… Which is why you and I need to lose our badges and anything else we could get caught with, we do not want to be turned away.”

I removed my satchel and hid it behind the dumpster, knowing it wasn’t the best place but I couldn't very well leave it on my bike, it would definitely get stolen. I hated that the papers were all in it but there was really nothing else I could do, it was a high possibility the person responsible for the last attack was intending to make their rounds to all the ones he could find.”

“Wait, how did you know it was this place?”

“Oh I don’t-” I stood up and held out my hand for her badge to put in my satchel “-But I found this one while I was walking, or at least I assume it’s a sex club, I’ve never actually been in one. The point isn’t to find the one that was attacked, that would be rather pointless seeing as it would not be taking any customers anytime soon, we need to find the one that's going to be hit next, and or hopefully the culprit.”

“How exactly are we going to manage that?”

I held up the little bottle she’d given me and smirked, “We’re going to test every club we find tonight. Hope you were serious when you said you didn’t have plans.”

I made my way over to the door and knocked.

“Yeah no plans,” she mumbled

I pulled open a few buttons on the shirt I’d worn and stuck the bottle into my bra. My waist-high jeans with buttons coming down either side of my hips looked quirky enough. I turned to Alli and nodded at her hair which she had put into a ponytail, obediently she took it out and then pulled her top up, using the same hair tie she tied a knot into the shirt, just as the door opened.

A woman dressed in a bright red dress and matching lipstick created us, “What can I do for you lovely ladies?”

I could feel Alli start to get nervous, we couldn’t very well ask to just join their 'sex club' in case we were wrong. I’d never even been into an actual club so this was bound to end horribly, still like I’d said I had a plan.

“Ashra Mickles recommended this place, my friend and I wanted to check it out.” Ashra Mickles was one of the victims and I figured it was more about who you knew than what you knew in these places. It didn’t really matter if the lady at the door didn’t know who Ashra was, just saying the place had been recommended to us was a good way to skirt around stating what it was.

She looked us up and down apparently finding us good enough. She stepped aside and motioned to the desk at the end of the hall, “Jazzy ‘ll get you sorted, we take cash only.”

Alli smiled at her as we passed getting one in return. “Everyone seems nice so far,” She commented.

“I hope it stays that way.” I didn’t risk saying anything more as we approached the desk.

“Welcome to Chloe’s Heel. The entry fee is $100 for 2 hours.”

I mentally winced, if we were going to be visiting several of these tonight it was going to burn a hole in my wallet. I pulled out the money but just as I was about to hand it over Alli grabbed my hand stopping me. I shot her a confused look but she ignored it, instead questioning the guy.

“We were recommended this club and only want to check out the scene today, can we get a cheaper rate for a shorter time?”

He seemed to consider it “You’re not allowed to get frisky with anyone if I let you in for 20 bucks each, half an hour.”

“Thanks,” I gave him the money and he stamped our hands with the time before he drew back a heavy red drape to his right.

We walked into the room a little dazzled, but I moved over to the side, back to the wall. First job was to learn where everything was. I took it in and saw Alli doing the same.

Neon blue light seemed to come from the bottom of the walls and the back of the red velvet couches that made up the centre of the room, in front of the couches was a sort of dance floor, similar to normal clubs but less populated and far dirtier dancing, or at least based on movies.

There was a bar further along the same wall people entered through and all along the other two walls were corridors that lead to more doors, where I assumed were rooms for the patrons to use.

I noticed that there were lights around the door frames which when went from blue to red and meant the person had used their time up. There was security at the beginning of the hallways which checked the time you entered and set the light on the room. _Fascinating_.

Alli pulled me closer so I could hear her, the music was quieter than in a club but loud enough to drown out others conversations. “How exactly do we test this club? We don’t even know how they got the Hydrogen on everyone's skin, without getting it on themself?”  
  


“Well, how do you think they did it?”

She looked around for a while. I had thought they might have smothered their hand in it when wearing gloves and then touched people, but that theory had no weight, first, no one would let a weirdo with a glove touch them and secondly, 56 people all around the same time were affected.

“Maybe he spiked the drinks?” She pointed to the bar.

It was possible but wouldn’t explain the concentrated area. “I think we need to see how the rooms are laid out, maybe that will help us?”

“Crap, but we said we wouldn’t fuck anyone? How are we going to get in?”

We could always have just lied to the security guard and risked being thrown out, but then they would become suspicious. “I’ll just say I left something in one of the rooms?”

“That’s a good idea, I’ll keep a lookout for the usher.”

I walked over to the hall and put my plan into action. “Um excuse me, sir?”

“Yes madam?”

I mentally cringed at the address “I was here a few hours ago, and realised I left my-” I mentally went through the list of small things that would be easy enough to hide on my person and embarrassing enough not to question, which was difficult in a sex club, “-...Fungal medication.” He looked grossed out so I decided that was the correct move “-Yeah I know-” I gave a fake laugh “-Gross right, but it’s not anywhere... you know-” I dropped my voice pretending to be embarrassed “Naughty.” That did it and he quickly shut me up.

“Which room Madam?”

I pointed to one of the ones that the light was off, indicating no one was using it. “That one.” He stepped aside and gestured me through with a disgusted look, “Thanks heaps! I’ll only be a minute,” He didn’t seem to be listening, which is good for me.

I stepped past him, and looking back confirmed he was back to his position with his back to me. I approached the troll that lived either side of the hall and was just before the first door. Looking down on it I saw it was packed with wipes and other items, seemingly available if anyone wanted them.

I was about to move on when my gaze caught the small bottles of lube. Huh. Picking one up and pocketing it and continued to the door I had pointed at.

Pushing it open I shut the door quickly behind me. The room was fairly big but housed only a bed and a stand by the side. I pulled out the lube and checked over the container. It looked completely sealed to me. I twisted off the cap and found un-pierced foil showing it wasn't tampered with.

The longer I thought about it the more it made sense if someone one wanted to attack people having sex, or specifically paid sex, then they would spike the lube, it explained the location of the chemical burns, it also explained how everyone got it around the same time, what it didn’t explain was how the culprit managed to take out some of the lube and replace it with Hydrogen Peroxide in enough tubes to get 56 people effected, especially in plain sight.

But then again, this was only _one_ club, others could be set up differently. They certainly weren't getting this place anytime soon, the security was too tight. Pocketing the lube I walked out of the room and down the hall throwing the guard a wink before going to find Alli.

She was a little further into the crowd than I’d left her so I had to pull her aside to talk. “It’s the lube.”

“What?”

“The lube. Psycho number one is spiking the lube.” I repeated.

“Shit, that makes sense.”

I nodded pulling her to the exit “Yep, come on, this place is clean.”

We stumbled out into the alleyway, a little thrown by the rapid change of atmosphere, it was also a lot colder now night had really begun.

Alli threw an arm around my shoulder and I picked up my thankfully still there bag. “Okay Blue, where to next?”

\--IMMORTAL--

It was surprisingly easy to find our way to sex clubs once we’d wandered the streets, we found three more, and two random owners of apartments who just thought we were drunk and had told us to fuck off in a not so polite way. We had the formula down pretty well, using the same reason to get in, we only mistook one night club for a sex club, but it had been suspiciously hidden so it wasn’t really our fault.

The purpose of visiting each one, wasn’t so much to catch the guy or even test the lube, which we were doing, taking turns to rub some on our hands with the neutraliser ready if it started burning. The point was so we could see how each one worked and try to figure out who would be an easy target.

Places that had less security, or allowed people to stay the night without a time limit were at higher risk, and a couple had had lube dispensers in the rooms, which were able to be opened at the top to add more in. I suspected some system like that had been the ones our hospital attendee's club had used, it was far too easy to tamper with.

The problem still remained that we didn’t know how our attacker was getting to all the lube stations within each room, without raising suspicion or interrupting everyone, because sure, they could have decided just to get all the empty rooms but from the moment of opening, almost 70% of the rooms available were immediately occupied.

Whilst I went and checked out the rooms Alli had started striking up conversations with people trying to see if anyone knew which club had suddenly been shut in the last few days, or if anyone knew any of the people in the hospitals.

I walked back into her, finally ringing some information out of a handsy blond girl.

“-Purple Medallion had a rough time lately, almost didn’t come tonight but then I’d have missed out on meeting you.” She ran her hand down Alli’s face and smirked at Alli’s flushed response.

Alli made a swift exit, “I’m so sorry, but my girlfriend's waiting for me, I have to go.” She put her arm around me and I steered her towards the exit. Another clean one.

The reason I hadn’t yet gone home to write a report on my findings were, I needed to figure out a way to catch the culprit without incriminating hundreds of people, firstly I thought the ones in the hospital had suffered plenty, without adding jail to that, and secondly, it really was a grey area in the law, I was technically risking my badge by not calling it all in but there was no way the Kennewick police force didn’t know about the clubs, the reason they hadn’t been shut down was the prosecution would take years and more would just pop up again. However, If I raised awareness of the clubs then the police would be forced to act, so, for now, I wanted to find a way to fix the problem without creating more.

Alli pulled me out of my thoughts “So the Purple Medallion was the one attacked. Think we should check it out first?”

“No, it would be closed until they can try and figure out who did it or the police catch them, they wouldn’t risk it happening again. I suggest we go there tomorrow afternoon, see it in daylight.”

She jumped on the bike behind me, “Afternoon?”

“Yep, you need to sleep at some point. And myself actually, I think I haven't slept since the night before I came here.” I muttered the last bit to myself but she still heard.

“What? You came here on Monday! That’s 4 nights, including tonight, how are you even functioning?”

I gave a weak chuckle and started the engine, “Curiosity?”

Our next location was recommended to us from one of the people Alli had rung information from, Hades Inferno. Very poetic sounding.

We arrived at the location our directions had led us too and I immediately groaned coming into view of the door. A whip ran over the threshold like one of the VIP barriers that were usually red and velvet. Brilliant BDSM sex club, obviously nothing could go wrong here.

Alli gave me a nervous look obviously thinking the same thing, “Do we need to keep going? We have covered a lot of ground.”

It was true we’d done a lot more that I had thought we would, but I knew that since I now knew about the place I needed to go inside and check it out, just to see if it was different from the others and if it was more or less at risk, I didn’t want to do it tonight but I also was aware I wouldn’t want to do it tomorrow either.

I gestured to the bike, "Take it home Alli, I’ll just finish scoping this one then I’ll call a cab.”

“Are you sure?”

I handed her the keys, “Yeah, I’m probably too tired to drive now anyway. You’ve driven a motorbike before though right?”

She nodded, “Don’t worry I’ll be careful.”

I waved her off, “Take my satchel too and get some rest, don’t wake up till noon at least!” It was already 3 in the morning after all.

“Yeah you too stupid, learn to look after yourself.”

Normally someone telling me to look after myself was a great way to piss me off, but there was something about Alli that never came off as condescending or a reprimand, like a friend telling you how it is but not in a ‘I’m better than you’ kind of way. It was... nice, having a friend, especially one my age, I’d never had that before.

Shaking myself out of it I waited until I couldn’t tell the sound of my bike apart for the other noises of the night, then I knocked.

Entering the club I was surprised mostly by how similar it was. Due to my past, I had an aversion to restraints of any kind, along with violent weapons, I would never understand how someone found being whipped as a turn on, I could barely think about it without picturing Misham’s shredded back.

I took a breath and focused on my observations. The difference was this club didn’t centre around one room and have many corridors branching from it, but rather it had several rooms making up the main areas, couches were everywhere and people dressed scantily, some in only leather straps, while others were dressed to the nines in suits.

Despite my aversion to some of the more advertised parts of BDSM, I understood that there were certain parts that appealed to most of the general population, like the act of dominance and submission, while some people vehemently despised the idea of subverting to such roles, I understood that much.

Wanting to control someone wasn’t the point of domination, or at least that wasn’t what I gathered from it, I always figured it was more about the intoxication that came with someone putting their trust in you and on the other side Submission wasn’t about letting someone make decisions for you but letting go and trusting someone enough to protect and know what’s best for you.

My mind flicked to when Marcus had pushed me to completion the third time and I ducked to hide my flush. Come on, I needed to focus.

Scanning the room I noticed that I was next to one of the bars, the other was diagonally across the two rooms that joined to make a larger open space. No matter how hard I searched I couldn’t find anything that looked like it provided lube, which based on all the kinky shit around me, was definitely provided.

I decided to head into one of the strangely shaped alcoves which lead into other rooms. I found nothing there and moved to head past the front of the couches in the centre of the rooms. I took care to make an arch-like shape wanting to avoid the ladies and men sitting at the foot of the couches in harness and collars.

Despite not having a dancing area like the other clubs I had visited, a lot more people were standing and mingling about, so I should have suspected I wouldn’t be able to get through the experience without being noticed.

A man with a leather vest and tight fitted pants stepped in front of me, “Hey doll, are you a sub or a dom girl?”

I cursed myself for not coming up with a cover before entering, I wondered if I could say neither, or of that would just get me thrown out. The decision was taken from me when a girl fixed herself to his side and assessed me with a purr, “Oh she's a sub alright.”

Okay. Time to leave this conversation. I tried edging around the two only for the woman to gently grab my jaw.

“Oh don’t go doll, we won't hurt you.”

Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope, this wasn’t happening, logically speaking I was fine, but the touch of her hand and the setting of sex was getting to me, I could feel panic welling in my chest and I tried to turn my face and shake off her hand, but she stepped closer, the man following, he spoke this time, “We can take care of you doll.”

I managed to stutter out some words this time, taking a step back, “No-no I’m good thanks.”

“Oh Doll you clearly need someone to settle you down.”

It was true in the sense that I could feel a tremor in my hands begin to take shape, despite knowing I wasn’t in any kind of danger, the woman was just trying to play her role or whatever, I was in a place I didn’t belong not the other way around, still, I took another unconscious step back right into a solid chest.

I was about to turn around and apologize when arms wrapped around me and a very familiar voice spoke up, “She has someone.” 

Caius.

I didn’t know how he’d got here or what he was even doing but at the moment my mind didn’t bother with those questions and I just slumped in his arms, my eyes fluttering as I felt my panic recede. It was okay now.

I heard the girl say something to Caius and then they moved on but none of it really registered, not until I felt a different hand brush up from my neck and gently grip the root of my hair grounding me. 

“Come on Darling, time to go.” It must have been Marcus in my hair, which he released after his statement and I opened my eyes to find him in front of me, he held out his hand and I grasped it, Caius moving so his arm was around my waist and I was leaning on him, they led me outside and I saw Aro waiting in a pristine suit next to a sleek black car.

I blinked, the fact they were all there was beginning to register and it must have shown on my face because Aro moved to stand in front of me and gave a brief explanation, “We heard what happened with the other Vampire Mi Cara .”

Oh. Nothing had really happened, or well not to me, but I suppose it would have worried them to know Demetri couldn’t track them. “-was supposed to call.” I absentmindedly remember I had planned too, I’d just got distracted.

Marcus hummed beside me and Aro moved to open the door, Marcus got in and I went in only to find myself positioned on Caius’s lap facing the seat. I didn’t complain, only buried my face in his neck and twisted my fingers into the hair at the base of his neck needing something to hold on to.

I felt strangely out of it, probably due to the lack of sleep and the roller coaster of events the past few days had been. If I was a bit more coherent I would have felt adrenalin race through me at the speed Aro was effortlessly speeding through the town, or perhaps I would have been annoyed, I was technically a cop after all.

We stopped and Caius pulled me out to stand in front of my apartment. Another mystery on how they knew where it was, and for another time.

I led them up and sat on the edge of the bed not sure whether they were going to say, 'I told you so', or simply tell me off.

After a few seconds of silence I flopped back on the bed, “If you guys aren't planning on yelling at me for being reckless, I’m going to sleep now.”

There was an audible huff before I found myself under the covers and with Caius on my side. “We are not angry at you Amore, you called the guard which was smart. Foolish of you to go into the forest without them, but you didn’t know it was a Vampire so-”

I interrupted “-I highly suspected.”

I felt Aro and Marcus move to sit on the bed and saw Caius narrow his eyes, but I didn’t see the point in lying. I'd made my choices, whether they could accept them, or not.

Aro questioned from behind me, “Then may we inquire as to why you went alone, with the knowledge an unknown Vampire was in the same vicinity as you?” I could hear a tinge of something, possible anger in his words and I understood why I would have hated to lose any of them. It was probably stupidly reckless and practically suicidal in their eyes.

Sitting up against the headboard I figured we needed to get the serious conversation out of the way first. “Because I thought it was a Vampire-” Caius looked like he wanted to speak “-Wait just let me explain.” He snapped his mouth shut and nodded indicating he would listen.

“I don’t understand a lot about you guys- Vampires, but I do know that you eat people. I know you guys specifically eat criminals and the worst of humanity, I don’t, however, understand how and I’ve been trying not to think about it but I can’t any more, I need to…” I let out a frustrated sigh and pulled my legs up running a hand through my hair, Bella’s habit sneaking up on me “- I know I’m going to become a Vampire eventually, but I can’t think I would be okay keeping a human and draining them for their whole lives-”

Aro’s back went rigid “-The children were being kept? Not simply fed from?”

I shook my head “They weren't all kids, some probably in their 20s, I can’t say for certain but I’m guessing they were all taken as kids and grew up being tied-”

My voice broke and I was pulled into Marcus’s arms, I let myself cry, properly processing what had happened and a feeling of relief doused over me when I understood what Aro’s reaction meant, it wasn’t normal.

Aro obviously getting why I was upset spoke: “We have very few laws and only _one_ we enforce, which you know is to keep our kind a secret, however, one of our unenforced laws is Vampires do not feed on children.”

I was confused, why bother having a law if you don’t enforce it. Caius bet me to the question by providing an answer. “We do not like taking the lives of young humans, it is unnecessary and wasteful as it would take two to fully satisfy a Vampire, however, it was never the highest of concern to us, we would stop it if we were aware of a Vampire feeding from children, but we do not go searching for lawbreakers on this occasion.”

“You should,'' I mumbled into Marcus who gave a rumbling purr in response.

Aro gently lay his hand on my shoulder allowing me to pull away from Marcus and fac his next question, “I must ask Amore how exactly were these humans being continuously drained through the years without being turned to become like us?”

“They used medical equipment to take the blood, putting it in bags, and kept the people on IV’s which gave them all the nutrients they needed to stay alive in a half-conscious vegetable state.”

I heard Caius hiss and breathed out, it was okay, they don't condone this abhorrent behaviour.

Marcus seemed to realise that was where my thinking had gone and pulled me a little tighter into him, “Darling… Did you not inform us, because you were afraid this practice was something we did?”

I didn’t say anything which was enough to answer enough.

“It is not.” Aro said forcefully. I had gathered as much from their reactions but it was nice to have the confirmation. “Rest assured beloved, this Vampire will be found and put to trial, I believe some new regulations should be put in place in this new age.”

“Really?” I was a little surprised they would change some of their Vampiric laws for me.

Caius scowled at the bed, “Whilst I have no love for Humans, torture is not abided of any being, particularly younglings.”

“Thank you.”

Marcus let me crawl back into bed, “And in turn Blue, you must agree to confront us with your fears, we cannot help if we do not know what is wrong.”

“And we will not tolerate your safety being compromised “ Caius added.

“Yes, I get it. I am sorry, I promise I’ll talk to you.”

Aro flashed beside me, “We are not unreasonable Amore. Rest now, we will talk more tomorrow.”

I closed my eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.


	12. Chapter 12

I woke to Caius twirling my hair absentmindedly while he stared out the window. A window which showed the sun was either rising or setting, judging by how well rested I felt, I assumed setting. I was about to close my eyes again when I realised I'd said to Alli we were going to check out the Purple Medallion in the afternoon.

Bounding out of bed I bent down to look for my shoes, only to remember I'd taken them off some point in the forest several miles away. "Well fuck me."

"If you insist." 

I spun to give Caius full view of my disappointed look "Really?"

His smirk didn't drop and he approached pulling me into a kiss. I groaned, trying to chase the flames he ignited. He pulled back "Going somewhere, love?"

"Yes, I'm supposed to meet up with Alli."

"The woman with the brown hair?" I narrowed my eyes, how did he know that? "She stopped in earlier to return your bag and transport. Marcus thought it would be best to leave you sleeping and accompanied the girl to obtain your information."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that, and neither do I know how Marcus had explained away their presence in my apartment. "Alright, seems like all we can do now is wait till they return... what to do to pass the time?"

Caius laughed at my blatant suggestion and spun me so I was sitting on the bed looking up as he sidled in between my legs, "What indeed?"

Just then the door from my bathroom opened and Aro came out in all his glory, which while I appreciated I was more excited to see him. "Aro!" I had assumed he'd gone with Marcus, but as that was not the case I slipped past Caius to pull my raven-haired mate into an embrace.

He purred into my hair and I clenched tighter. I was never as touchy with people as I apparently was with my mates, but then again I'd never trusted someone so much to allow it. Weirdly Alli's casual touches never bothered me.

"May I get dressed, Amore?"

"You may not."

Caius flashed behind Aro and helped me push him so he was in the position I had previously been on the bed. Aro's eyes darkened significantly as I fell to my knees in front of him, and Caius slipped behind to tangle his hands in Aro's long hair, pulling the brunette into a kiss, which I greedily watched.

I kissed Aro's knee sliding forward, but stopped there with a questioning look, "Are we allowed to do this without Marcus?"

Caius answered for them, "Yes Carissima, I assure you, he will not mind."

Seeing Aro's slightly anticipated look I threw him a grin and leaned forward to inhale his scent, my tongue darting out to lap at his tip. His hands flew to my hair but stilled. I licked again, he tasted different, sweeter, most likely the venom my mind supplied.

Curious to see how else they differed, I glided my tongue along his length taking pride in the whine I pulled from him. Although upon glancing up I saw the same clouded look in his face from before, I hadn't noticed it on our first night together, but now I couldn't stop seeing it.

Trying to wipe it away, I sunk down basking in his praise "That's it darling," Still the look remained. I continued to bob, pulling back to swirl my tongue around his head and get a shot of his sweetness before resuming my task. I was good at this, I knew I was, when Aro came he appeared sated and everything seemed fine, but I knew something was wrong, I just couldn't figure out what.

Deciding it would be rude to point out, I instead pulled him into a kiss and tried to ignore it until I found the problem.

The sound of a car coming to a stop below my window told us Marcus had returned and Aro dressed quickly. I didn't miss the scolding look Caius shot Aro but didn't point it out either.

I pulled the door open as Marcus was about to knock and smiled at Alli who excitedly held up her phone to show me some pictures.

Ushering them inside I pulled over a few stools from the kitchen and gestured for the two to explain what they had found.

"Right so," Ally handed me her phone "That first one's taken from the doorway- Which by the way, I didn't think the owner was gonna let us in and knew she wouldn't if I showed my badge, honestly thought we were toast, till Mr Smoothtalker over here-" She gestured to Marcus with her thumb "Charismaed his way in."

I raised an eyebrow at him and he smirked back, "What can I say, darling, it's all a part of my charm?" I narrowed my eyes, so he dazzled the owner. Interesting.

"Yea- anyway we got in, the place was closed like you said it would be but get this-" She swiped the photo to the next one and I let out a sound of understanding, "They have the dispenser in every room."

I had thought that would be the case, unfortunately, because they were in every room we still needed to figure out how that was done. "Did you test the lube?" I ignored Caius and Aro's questioning looks, I'd explain later.

"Yep." She held out her hand revealing a patch of irritated skin, "It's the one alright, I tested every room too. All of them were tampered with, crazy clearly didn't want anyone to miss out on the fun"

Rubbing my face in thought I considered what we knew.

**Problem** : Hydrogen Peroxide attack

 **Motive** : Unknown

 **Location of attack** : Sex Club; Purple Medallion 

**Victim** : Sex Club attendees

But the motive wasn't entirely hard to guess given we now knew the victims who were attacked. someone who had a problem with either the concept of sex clubs or something to do with sex. It wasn't a gay club so that was probably not the target, however, none of them were married to each other, obviously, it could be sex before marriage...

The problem was we didn't know how they, not only got into all of the rooms, but how all of them were hit at the same time.

_Time_. "Hey Alli, when did the victims show up at the hospital?"

"Around 9ish I think, but that's only when the cops were called, they could have been a few minutes earlier."

"9 PM. Surely that's just about when a club would open?"

Her eyes lit up in understanding, "It was done before everyone got there! That's how they got every room."

Marcus piped up "The owner seemed rather mortified at it all, I doubt she would have done it."

"That's true," Alli agreed "She was rather upset."

I drummed my fingers on my chair "But who would have access to all those rooms beforehand without raising suspicion, or maybe they snuck in?"

Aro gave a suggestion "Perhaps a maid?"

A maid. Doubtful in a sex club. But a cleaner could, they would be necessary and they would have access to chemicals. I snapped my fingers at Alli "Cleaner." Shooting Aro an appreciative nod for the idea.

"Shit, you're probably right, but you know now we have another problem if we call this in all the people in the hospital could end up being prosecuted, along with the club owner."

"Damn it." Getting up I went to grab some food and water, I brought back a few biscuits, which I set in front of her and handed her a glass of water.

"Thanks, do your boyfriends want some?"

I hesitated glancing at their grinning faces, so that's what they had told her, they were my boyfriends. Alli was cool with it, as I figured she would be, Alli seemed nothing if not adaptable.

"No, they're weird." I could have said they just had some but going with weird meant most people nowadays just accepted it.

Sure enough, she shrugged and took a biscuit. "What if we make it look more like a hookup group, rather than a paid club?"

I nodded "That could work, but we'd have to make sure all evidence of transactions were gone, please tell me it was cash only payment?" Marcus confirmed it, easing my worries. "Now we have to explain how we figured out where it was."

"Oh that's easy, " Alli stood clearly excited to close the case, "We just have to tell one of the victims, what happened and explain that we need to use their name for 'who told us', and obviously tell all of them they were in a 'special group' not a club, bing-bong splat, case solved."

I grinned at her enthusiasm, "Not quite, we still have to catch the guy, but when we go back to the owner, we'll ask who was on cleaning duty that night and then we should have enough to hand over to the police."

Alli moved to the door, "We'd better get the report written up, and go back to the owner tonight, as well as visit the hospital."

"You want to run around? I can write up the report?"

She chuckled giving a dramatic wink, "Only if I'm allowed to steal your bike."

I waved her off, "Yep, yep, take the helmet though."

"Aye, aye Captain."

She shut the door behind her and I turned to Marcus, "Seems like you had fun?"

"I assumed you liked her if you trusted her with your things, and I figured you wouldn't appreciate her going into a dangerous situation alone."

I nodded "A wise observation." Getting a bit more serious I dropped my eyes "Thank you, for that, and-" I flushed a little "-You know, pulling me out of the club last night." I made sure to shoot my grateful look at my other mates as well.

"You don't need to thank us for having your best interest in mind Amore, that is our job."

I frowned at myself, we were all mates, "It's my job also and I haven't been doing very well keeping your best interest in mind, I'm sorry."

Marcus hushed me "You are very new to this bond Darling, and not even yet an Immortal. Trust that you will grow and learn."

"I do trust you," I agreed "-but I would like to know a bit more about Vampire history before I become one, I asked Olly to find me some books on your history, by the way."

"Yes." Aro gave me a humorous look "I found him at the top of one of the shelves, he has been very busy with the task you set, it is unlikely he has noticed us gone, Heidi is keeping an eye on him for us."

I should have probably felt worried that Olly had been up so high but shrugged it off, the kid would do what he would do, I doubted anyone could stop him, besides he had a vampire looking after him, and I found I quite liked Heidi.

Caius pulled me to sit on the bed beside him, "We will tell you anything you wish to know Amore."

I asked the question I had been dying to for ages, "Tell me about how you guys meet."

\--IMMORTAL--

I listened rapidly till night fell, and I declared I did actually have to get some work done. Marcus pulled out a book of what appeared to be poetry to read, Caius went down to the car to retrieve his chest set which Aro indulged him by playing. It was nice to just be near my mates even doing mundane things. I finished the report after the third hour and decided to check my emails finding only one from Depika.

**Depika**

**_You've been invited to the Seattle precinct for the celebration the force is throwing, you can bring whoever you want, I would recommend bringing a few friends, it's going to be pretty unbearable for a while. Sorry about the case._ **

I frowned, the case? What case? And what were they celebrating? I picked up my phone and clicked on the Captain.

"Blue why can you never call at a normal hour?"

"Oops, sorry Captain." I'd forgotten normal people sleep.

He huffed "Good thing I'm not married Adams, what's the problem?"

I saw my mates heads snap up but stuck out my tongue indicating it was nothing to worry about. "Nothing really Cap, just a little confused, Depika send me a strange email?"

He gave a tired sigh "I thought she'd do that tomorrow. I'm sorry Blue I really am, I tried to keep that fed from screwing with your reports but all the higher-ups cared about was the guy was caught-"

"-Wait, wait, hold up Captain, I'm missing some vital information here."

"Blue the warrant came through and we got the files on the Wonka Killer, she's been Identified and forensic evidence matches up, the donor also came forward just like you said, her trial's due to start in a month."

"That's amazing!-" I actually hadn't thought the killer was female as based on most cases they weren't but it didn't matter so long as they were caught. "So I'm assuming that's what the celebrations are for?"

"Blue... Agent Asano, the fed who took over your case has been hailed as the hero who closed it. He signed his name on your report about finding the hospital, he withdrew it from the judge before it got to her so he could do so, it's how the hospital got leaked, then he sent it back in with his name, I'm sorry Blue, I know you worked hard on this."

I felt a weight press into my chest and worked to keep my voice and face neutral, "It's fine Captain, the killers caught, who cares who did it."

He obviously wasn't buying in, "Blue, everyone here at the present who knows you, knows you closed this case, everyone's behind you in this. We know. You know, and he knows. Don't come to the party if you don't want to Blue, I'm perfectly able to make up an excuse for you-"

"-No it's fine. Really, Cap, I'm fine, it's not that big of a deal, l never did this job to be a hero, I did it 'cause I like figuring out puzzles to help people." It was true, I didn't need the recognition, it sucked someone had claimed my work as their own, but realistically, life just sucked sometimes, there was nothing anyone could do about it.

"Okay Adams, I'll see you tomorrow night, but bring something to help you get through it for god sake, no one should have to deal with that smug junior sober."

I snorted "Yep will do."

I hung up, looking over to see my mates staring at me with equal looks of what appeared to be sadness and anger on my behalf. "Oh come on guys, it's not that bad."

Caius's scowl deepened "The disrespect of claiming another's work is-"

"-Life." I interrupted "People can be assholes sometimes, that's just how it is. We're focussing on the wrong thing here, I've been chasing this killer for two years and now they will never murder another child. That _is_ something to celebrate!"

Abruptly jumping up I turned to Marcus and dramatically bowed extending my arm "Will you Marcus, come with me to the police 'we caught the bad guy' party?" He chuckled, pulling me to straddle his lap on the chair he had been reading. "Hey!" I complained trying to get free. "I haven't asked the others yet!"

"I'm sure they'll come," He purred into my ear causing me to melt against him.

"Oh come on, that's not fair! Do mates have some kind of magic rumbly thing which makes their other mates lose the will to fight?" I huffed

Aro grinned from his position on the floor, "It is called purring dearest, and it merely has a calming effect on one's mate, it does not take away your will."

"Doesn't just have a 'calming effect'" I muttered more to myself but at Caius's widening grin I rapidly remembered their super hearing.

Surprisingly he behaved himself enough to add to the conversation "You should probably also be aware that once you have been changed into one of us, your mind will link with Aro's and his gifts allow us all to communicate to one another."

I pressed my arms against Marcusu's chest so I was sitting up straight, intrigued "Only because of Aro's gifts? Other vampires can't communicate through their minds to each other?"

Aro looked nervous, "It is not continuous, you may choose the thoughts you share, and we will not speak to you in that way if you do not wish for it, Amore."

Caius frowned at that, which I could understand it would be far simpler if they were allowed to speak that way to me, "No, it's fine I don't mind, mostly I'd just think it was cool. Although if we were fighting and you decided to consistently scream in my mind to piss me off, I'd find your most favourite object and hide it for one hundred years. I mean it."

Marcus' chest rumbled again, "And how would you manage to hide yourself for one hundred years beloved?"

I gave a dramatic gasp "Picking favourites Marcus?"

Caius scoffed "Marcus always picks favourites. One day it's me because I choose his side of a discussion, next it's Aro because I won the game of chess."

Aro nodded flashing to my side with a hand on his heart showing his fake sincerity, "It is true dearest, he casts us aside without a second thought."

I shrieked as I was moved now sitting on the chair with Marcus on his knees before me, "Perhaps they should endeavour to try harder to remain my favourite then, shouldn't they darling?"

I flushed, still not used to the affection my mates insisted on showering me with. "Can I be your favourite Marcus?" I flickered my eyelashes at him and lent down to pull him in a kiss.

He broke away "Maybe later darling, for now, you need to sleep, tomorrow you close your case, and we take you to that party, celebrating your success and then, we go home."

My heart clenched at the thought of calling Italy home, I'd never had one before, but thinking back on the castle I knew there was no other word to describe it. Distracting myself from the mush thoughts I whined into his lips "But I'm not tired!"

It was true, I'd slept for ages and doubted anything would send me off for another day or two. Marcus seemed to take that as a challenge because I found myself lying in bed naked with the Vampire once again between my legs, "Well we'll just have to change that won't we Amore?"

\--IMMORTAL--

Once Blue had been well and truly rung out by Marcus, he moved to cover her with a blanket and resume his reading.

Caius, however, rounded on the Raven-haired King. "Aro, why haven't you told her!?"

Marcus kept his book open but stopped reading, listening in to the coming argument just in case he needed to step in.

Aro scrolled back at Caius "I will not guilt her into revealing her past."

Caius stood abruptly, Aro following his example both staring each other down. "It's torturing you! You can hardly touch her without appearing repulsed!"

"I perform perfectly well!" Aro snarled taking offence to the insult of his participation.

Caius took a threatening step forward and Marcus intervened trying to defuse the situation. "We will hear of her past eventually Aro, if you let her know she will not mind telling us sooner, she has already expressed that she wishes to make us feel as we make her feel-"

Aro, however, was not placated by the words "I will not force her into anything, simply because it is uncomfortable for me." His words were sharp and held no room for argument. 

Caius seemed to make room by stepping forward again and trapping the raven-haired King against the wall, "Uncomfortable? You know we can hear your thoughts Aro, when you allow us, and the ones that have slipped through your defences speak for themselves. Touching her without your gift is like being blind and tied up underwater. It is torture, and if Blue were to learn what she is doing to you-"

Aro snarled and shoved one of Caius's arms down, "She will not."

Marcus eyed them both critically, before determining they would resolve the issue themselves. It had been bothering Marcus as well, so they had attempted to keep Aro shared between them while Blue waited on letting Aro into her mind, however, as their mate she wanted to touch Aro as much as the rest of them.

Blue obviously didn't know she was hurting Aro but he seemed as disinclined to deny her touch as he was to inform her. Marcus understood that having the invasive gift Aro had, he hated that he had the potential to 'steal' from their mate.

Caius however, had gone through a similar dislike of Aro's gift when he joined their relationship, he was unaware at the time like Blue was now, what his resistance did to his mate and when he found out he had been horrified, Marcus suspects he still feels slightly guilty because of it and likely knows Blue would feel the same.

Aro stayed perfectly still between Caius's arm and the one he had pushed down. Caius didn't move it, showing that he would not stop Aro from leaving if he desired.

Once Aro had remained from several minutes, Caius pulled his arm up to tangle in his hair and bring their lips together. Letting Aro read his mind and connect on a level only Aro could, it was a part of the brunette as much as his arms and legs were.

_You are always welcome in my thoughts Aro_

_I know_

No other words were spoken between the two as Caius dropped to his knees bringing the other to completion. Aro let Caius see the fear he felt of pushing their latest mate away and Caius allowed Aro to see the fear he felt seeing his eyes glazed over when they were supposed to be full of pleasure. They came to an understanding, she would have to be told soon, but not until they were in a place of safety until they were home.

\--IMMORTAL--

The next morning I firmly told the Kings they were not allowed to accompany me to the prescient where I would meet Alli and hopefully identify the perp.

Aro did insist on dropping me off, which I allowed. It was a thrilling experience sitting beside Aro as he grinned, delighted racing in and out of traffic, not even bothering to hide his mirth at my confliction.

Honestly, the ride definitely spiked my adrenaline and not the best look for a cop.

He pulled up sharply in front of the police station, playing into his obvious delight I exited the car and blew him a dramatic kiss before spinning on my heels and entering the building, very aware of the multiple eyes on me.

Alli bounded over wiggling her eyebrows, “Ready for some more good news?”

“More?” I questioned.

She shot the black car a pointed look “That’s good news if I ever saw it.”

Laughing I stole her move and slung my arm around her shoulder, pulling down my sunglasses for the dramatic benefit of everyone around us, “Darling we have a job to do.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am!”

We took our work into one of the spare rooms and settled the new evidence on the desk ready to present to Dacian and the officers who would be going to arrest the perp.

“So I went back to the Purple Medallion and then the hospital, it’s all sorted. Everything should run smoothly, and -” She picked up one of the documents “-This is our guy, “Martin Martin-”

“-Seriously?” I gave her an `Are you kidding me'' look “This guy's name is Martin Martin?”

“Yeah, I know. Anyway I checked him out, did some digging last night, his parents weren’t religious, nor was he growing up till he got in an accident, nearly lost his legs, wife walked out on him, seemed he turned to religion for help.”

“Then decided to become some kind of vigilant for god?”

“Pretty much,” She agreed “doubt he thought it through very far though, he clearly didn't have a follow-up plan because he only worked at one of these places and wouldn’t have been able to attack any others the same way… Although I found this in his uniform-'' she held up a list.

One look confirmed it had a few names of the clubs we had visited and some others I didn’t recognise, “Maybe he just didn’t care about getting caught?” I pondered.

The door opened then and 7 offices along with Agent Dacian filed in.

He immediately came to grip my shoulders “Glad you came back Blue, I like having you in my cases.” He brought his face close and inhaled deeply.

O-kay! Shooting Alli in a ‘save me’ look, she quickly began the rundown, debriefing the team and Dacian finally released me to take a seat with the others.

\--IMMORTAL--

Thankfully the arrest was pretty clear cut and with the perc now in holding and his trial set, Alli and I were finished with the case, unless his verdict was innocent, which I doubted, then the case was being closed.

I’d asked to take Alli to lunch but seeing as I didn’t know anywhere, she ended up taking me to a small cafe.

“I’m going to miss working with you,” She said dejectedly staring at her cheesecake causing me to chuckle.

“Aw, I’ll miss you too, don’t worry I’ll stop by. I’m going to visit that kid you gave the blood to, and his sister, along with the other victims I haven't met yet. Hopefully, I’ll manage once a month or as many times as possible during their recovery.” I refused to believe they wouldn't recover, I refused.

“I’ll visit too. Not like I have much else to do.”

I raised an eyebrow in question, I didn't actually know much about Alli or her life.

“I’m an orphan too, so the kids could relate to me I guess,” She provided

“Suppose I am as well.” I pondered my own statement, I’d never really thought of myself as an orphan but I had been on my own since I was 9, when my mother hadn't been returned to our container, when she had gone missing.

...But I wasn’t technically alone anymore, I had Olly and Bella, I had my mates who even in the short time we’d been together showed me care and compassion I’d never seen, and I had my coven. Demetri, Felix, Jane, Alec… and Heidi, Heidi reminded me a bit of my mother, she held the same sell-assured confidence and the look in her eye when she had listened to me ramble in the bath, it was the same fond look I gave Olly when he came to me with another ‘valid’ theory proving life exists beyond the stars.

“Alli, Seattle’s holding a party to celebrate capturing the Washington Wonka, it’s tonight if you don’t have anywhere else to be, would you come with me?” Depika had aid to invite a lot of friends.

“Sounds cool. You bet I’ll be there.”

I grinned stealing a bite of her cheesecake and ignoring the arms flapping desperately to keep me away. And I had Alli now too.

\--IMMORTAL--

We all rode in Aro’s car, Alli calling shotgun and getting along annoyingly well with the most eccentric of my mates.

Caius seemed a little absent-minded, but I figured he was always strategizing, and the last few days was probably causing him to adapt to a lot, so it didn’t bother me.

It wasn’t a long 3-hour drive, passing with pleasant chatter from the front and the relaxing presence of my mates doing wonders for my psyche.

Alli had stolen into my apartment to dress me up for the event, using my missing shoes, the only pair I owned, unfortunately, as an excuse to ‘spice me up' for the 'smexy Italians’. Once she’d learned about Agent Asshole as she fondly referred to him as, she had then gone the extra mile, painting my nails and adding lipstick.

I actually loved her style choices, a leather jacket like her own, but mine black instead of her dark brown, paired with a black silk shirt that cut low but the way it bunched made it appropriate, and she let me keep my favourite jeans with the buttons.

I was pleasantly surprised to see all my mates dressed in suits of darker tones, although I was suspicious it may be all they owned. Aro wore solid black, matching the light-absorbing colour of his hair. Marcus much the same except with a deep purple shirt, and Caius was dressed in midnight blue, a colour just shy of the black my lips were done in.

Alli was the one who stood out with her unashamedly bright orange jeans and pastel top, paired with her jacket and complexion. She gorgeous, it hurt my soul a little bit. I tried picturing her as a vampire but only came up with the way she was. _Too fucking perfect._

Due to our playing dress up, we arrived just as the part had begun to properly begin.

Depika was waiting at the doors giving a raised eyebrow at the crowd I’d brought, “What?” I enquired in fake innocence, “You said to bring a lot of friends?”

“Yes, but I was under the impression when I said it, that you didn’t have any, let alone a couple hundred.” I laughed, not in the least bit offended, I’d never had any before so I can see how it would look. She stopped me from entering with a hand “Um, you’re fish are still in your apartment here, do you want me to keep feeding them? Or are you going to take them to…” She left it open letting me provide where I had been but Marcus cut in smoothly.

“Italy.” His accent rang out, proving where I’d been.

“Italy?” She gaped.

I smirked, “You’re welcome to keep them if you’d like Depika, if not I’ll arrange to have them sold, once I finished my lease on the apartment.”

She stepped aside to let us think “Can I really have them?”

“Sure knock yourself out.” I’d miss my fish, but truthfully I hadn’t thought about them much these past few months anyway.

Caius breathed into my ear as we entered “We’ll buy you fish if that is what you desire Amore.”

I flushed, hissing back “Thank you, but I’d appreciate you not doing that here, I know these people.”

His only response was a pure and her leaned closer “Doing what darling?”

Alli bless her soul, pulled me forward giving Caius’s glare one of her own back “Nau-uh tiger, no fucking in the station.”

_On second thought she was just as bad._

Derek chose that moment to appear pulling me into a bear hug, “Oh Adam’s, how I’ve missed you.”

I laughed brightly “Fed’s bothering you that much?”

His frown could have given Caius a run for his money, “You have no idea Blue, these people…” He gave a tired sound.

“Hey!” Alli protested “I’m a feddy!” She pointed at herself in emphasis, causing the Captain to shoot her an unimpressed look.

I interjected before things could get awkward, introducing him to everyone, seeing as my mates looked uncomfortable with the stranger who had embraced me. “Cap, that’s Alli, she’s who I worked with on the chemical case-”

He seemed to relax at that “Ah, the one you finished today, good job Blue, Agent Alli.” She gave a mock curtsey in response ringing a fond expression from him before he went back to his stoic look.

I continued “These are my friends from Italy, Caius, Aro and Marcus.” At each of their names they gave a shallow bow, I decided not to call them my partners on account that many people were not so open-minded as Alli. “Guys this is my boss, Captain Derek.”

Marcus outstretched his hand and shook the Captains, seemingly for all of them, and Derek gestured to the adjacent door where the main party was being held, “Have some fun Blue. You know when I said to bring something to help you stay sane, I meant in a more liquid form..”

I quickly shoved Caius through the door before he could make a lewd comment and the other two followed smirking.

Alli was fluttering around apparently popping into conversations to tell a story on one of the Agents to the surrounding officers, or one of herself, having no shame in her own screw-ups.

The King's, I had thought would be a little out of their element, but it seemed that this was what they were used to, the aristocratic lifestyle, mingling and striking up conversations, I had to admit it was sort of like the ball and they fit right in.

I did spot a few giving them not so subtle looks behind hooded eyes and regretted not announcing our relationship, just a little. Annoyingly Caius seemed to realise this and whilst staying close to me shamelessly flaunted the looks being thrown his way.

I got to see Aro engaging with a few of the more important officers, apparently eager to learn all about the human justice system. Marcus however, was the most surprising, usually a gentle but forceful presence was showing his more playful side that his brothers had warned me about.

He started by accompanying Alli over to one of the groups and I could hear as he smoothly entered the conversation with such surety in his words he managed to convince 5 police officers that William Shakespeare had no first name and it was simply constructed by historians. He turned to give me a wink after one ‘claimed’ they had actually ‘heard that’ before.

I rolled my eyes fondly and pulled Caius’s arm around me, blowing him a kiss and walking away from the group.

Unfortunately, Agen Asshole was bound to join his own part at some point. A silence began to fall as one of the Senior Special Agent’s took to standing at the front with a smug-looking man beside him, no doubt the infamous Fed who’d wracked Derek up so much.

“I’d like to thank Agent Asano for his diligent finding and apprehension of the Wonka serial killer. I make a toast in thanks to you, once again, making the streets of Washington a safe place.”

A cheer of “Here, here.” When around, glasses were raised. I put on my big girl pant’s and did the same with my own glass, pointedly _not_ noticing how Caius did not do the same.

Once the Agent had been clapped on the back and a few shouts were given in praise he made his way over, apparently locking his eyes onto me.

Caius’s arm pulled me a little closer into him as the man approached, but I gave him a ‘be nice’ look, preparing to congratulate the Agent. “Good job on a job well done.” I nodded my head politely not wanting to start anything with barbed mentions of my stolen report.

Apparently he didn’t have the same reservations “Must feel strange to be celebrating a closed case? Especially one you were working on for a few years if I’m not mistaken, Officer Adams.”

I clenched my jaw, giving a false smile but trying to rein it in, for Caius’s sake if anything else, “Not at all _Officer_ Asano, I tend to prefer making my own leads than stealing others though.” Welp I never claimed to be good at being nice, just that I tried.

He gave a very fake laugh back “Perhaps that’s why you never got anything finished?”

“I’ll have you know, buddy, that I have closed every case I’ve ever worked on, besides, this one.” I made sure to wrap my arm around Caius’s waist who I could feel itching forward. 

“Not your first one I heard.”

I froze my mind going completely blank before a cold look took over my features, I wasn’t sure how he knew about my search for my mother but shit was about to get ugly, very quickly. My patience only a tad more than Caius’s who thankfully had no idea what the Asshole was talking about.

Derek stepped in between us addressing the agent, “Careful now Asano, don’t let one win get to your head, especially one you fumbled at the beginning.” The threat was clear in his voice, Agent Asshole seemed to assess the situation before shooting me one last cocky look and heading away.

Derek followed after him to make sure he wouldn't cause any more trouble, and I looked up to see Aro and Marcusu’s gaze locked onto me, they’d no doubt herd.

They began to head over, I darted under Caius's arm to stop the no doubt ambush to get me to leave. _I was fine_ , just a little annoyed, nothing I needed to run from the party for. I jumped into a conversation with Alli and focused on enjoying my last night with her for a while.

\--IMMORTAL--

  
  


I took a break after having some food, heading to the restroom to let Alli reapply my lipstick. I was perfectly capable of doing it, but for some reason, it was rather nice to let the other girl fuss over me.

“Hey, Alli?” I had been wondering about my mates for a while and wanted to understand some things, I knew I’d said I would be open and honest with them, but I needed an outside perspective first.

“Humm?”

I settled on playing it safe due to not being able to say something due to the whole ‘Vampire secret’, “What do you think about my ma-partners?”

She drew back to give the conversation her full attention, “I think they seem like gentlemen and appear to care for you, but I know that isn't what you want to ask.”

Ah bless Alli’s blunt love, I perched myself on the edge of the sink letting my legs swing, “You’re right. I guess I’m a little concerned that I don’t know how to ‘deal with the relationship, I’ve never actually been in one before.”

“A polyamorous relationship? Or at all?”

“At all.”

She nodded, taking it in her stride, “Well what’s worrying you about it? Do you feel unsafe or pressured?”

“No, no, nothing like that, I actually feel like they might be worried about pressuring me, I’m concerned because they were all in a relationship since... high school, and I only just joined them.”

“Ahhh,” She gave a sound of understanding as though I’d just said something that revealed all my feelings, “That makes sense, you don’t know how to make up those years, of your life with them and you probably feel a little left out of that time?”

I nodded, It was true, I hadn’t really allowed myself to think about it, because I knew that I would have all the time in the world to learn to know my mates. It was actually the first part that bothered me the most. I didn’t know how to tell them about my past, they were being extraordinarily patient, but I think it was bothering Aro a little.

“One of my partners, I think, wants to know all about me, everything they missed. Well all of them actually, but this one, he’s more… use to people being more open, I guess.”

Alli flicked one of her curly locks over her shoulder “What’s stopping you from telling them?”

I hesitated “I don’t know.” It wasn't fear of rejection or anything as ridiculous, I knew they might be upset, but I could actually only imagine them being angry at my situation, not me… 

Alli tried a different approach “If you think one of them wants to know more about you, and you’ve noticed, then it’s probably bothering him the time you weren't together as well, he probably just wants you, all of you, and trust me they aren't going to run away screaming any time soon, not from you. I mean- have you seen the way they look at you?” She pulled me off the sink and finished touching up my lip.

I felt a weight release from my shoulders, she was right, maybe the reason Aro had been distant was because he wanted to know me in his Aro way before being int- A horrible thought occurred to me. What if Aro needed the thoughts of another flowing into him during times of intimacy, what if otherwise, it was like touching someone who wasn’t there… like sleeping with a manikin.

I pulled Alli down and placed a kiss on her cheek “Thanks, babe!”

“Hey!” I ignored her desperately wiping at her check to get off the layer of lipstick, only pausing to ask if she had a ride home, “Yeah, I’m good.”

I tossed her my motorbike keys, “Keep it, for now, I won't need it in Italy, and it will make sure I come back.”

She pouted “I’m not motivated enough?”

I only stuck out my tongue in response and bolted to find my mates.

I found Marcus first in a crowd with Derek, “Hey I’m terribly sorry guys, but we gotta scoot.” Not allowing anyone to protest I yanked at Marcus’s sleeve which he allowed with an indulgent smile.

I gathered up Aro and Caius and herded them towards the exit.

“Leaving now, are we dearest?” Aro questioned, obediently moving into the driver's seat.

“Yep.” I sat in the passenger side grinning at Caius’s frown. “Let’s go home.”

The word gave the three pause before Marcus flashed into the car and Aro’s eyes darkened, starting the engine with a roar. “Certo mia cara”

\--IMMORTAL--

The private jet was a surprise, to say the least, and I briefly considered asking just how rich they actually were but decided against it, I didn’t want to know.

We got on and I was surprised to find a rather modern layout, with a few couch-like seats centred around a table. Which Marcus headed over too. “I’m guessing this is Aro’s plane?

A chime-like chuckle, sounded from behind me and the owner rested their chin on my shoulder “That would be correct my dear.”

Not wasting time I spun around and pushed Aro onto one of the couches straddling his lap. He grinned and went to pull me into a kiss but I stopped him, my hands on his chest keeping him pressed against the back of the couch while I regarded him.

I searched his face and found nothing that suggested he was uncomfortable. Reaching up I ran my hand experimentally along his jaw. His face remained joyous at the touch but his eyes gave him away, the distant look was on the surface but drawing closer to peer into his eyes I found… pain.

Rearing back I hopped off him and stood, hating myself just a little bit more for what I had been, and was still doing to him.

He looked confused, “Tesoro, what is the matter?”

Unable to hold it in any more I gave a wild gesture “This! All of this, you are in pain, I can see it-”

His eyes hardened, but his voice was comforting, trying to soothe me “I am not hurt darling-”

I whirled around to look at the other two, “Is he? Is he in pain, is he hurting?”

Aro tried to speak but was interrupted by Caius, “Yes.”

There was a tense moment between the two before I huffed loudly and sat beside Aro on the couch. “Did you know that I love you guys?”

I saw their heads snap in my direction and wasn’t the least bit surprised that the words were true, I did, I loved the way they teased me and each other, I loved how they interacted with the other people I loved and I loved how they were so in tune with caring for what I wanted. I didn’t love that Aro thought it necessary to hurt himself but I did understand why.

I turned to address him specifically “I’m so sorry that I made you think it was imperative you don’t pressure me into accepting your gift, I’m sorry you thought somewhere in your mind that I would resent you for it-” He tried to speak but I shut him up by assuming my original position “-But mostly I’m sorry that you could ever think it was acceptable to undergo discomfort for my sake.”

“I would endure a great many things more than simply dissociated touches from you Dearest.”

I frowned “You are underplaying it. Be honest with me Aro, what does it feel like.” He looked unsure as though fearful I would be angry at him, which just wouldn’t do “Please.” I whispered.

“It is not the same as how another would simply touch, I can not turn off my gift and just resume as if I was someone without it… It feels like you are dead, not like an immortal, but gone, no soul, no person beneath your flesh.”

I felt like crying, he had been making love to someone that felt like they were dead? No wonder he looked out of it.

“Amore-”

“Stop it.” I demanded, “Stop it now, I want you to see me, just like I see you.”

He looked torn “I do not wish to force you into revealing your past to me simply because-”

“-Because I love you. And I want you to know me.” I shot Marcus and Caius a smile, “I want all of you to know me, all of me,” I turned back to Aro and inched my lips close to his “But I can’t do it alone. Please, Aro.”

  
  


He was about to comply when I remembered one very important fact. “Wait. You don’t feel what I feel, do you? In my memories?”

He looked concerned “No Amore, why would you believe that?”

I went to tell him but found my throat close up, wanting to relive Aro of the pain I’d caused him I waved it on, “Just wanted to be sure.”

He pulled me down into the kiss and I melted against him, it was chaotic the way I felt his chest heave as if he needed air, his hands trembled around my back and his eyes were shut, clearly viewing my whole life was taking some time. I didn’t mind leading the kiss, my hands running over the back of his neck letting him touch more of me, alive and with him.

His eyes fluttered open and I pulled back. They were dark and full with the obvious lust that had been lost in his discomfort the first few times, but there was anguish and rage too. I pulled him into another kiss telling him to relax and that I was alright in my thoughts, I saw him do so and was delighted at the possibilities of his gift.

Once he had settled I moved off him to face the other two who were being remarkably patient.

“Suppose I’d better fill in the group?”

Marcus gave a gentle smile “That would be appreciated.”

Aro held out his hand in request and I took it without hesitating, he was probably wanting to gage my emotions as the conversation began, knowing when he would need to step in. It was incredibly sweet.

I got a squeeze in response to thinking him sweet but it didn’t change my mind, they were all sweet, whether the big bad Vampires liked it or not.

“Well, you all know how I mentioned I’m from Russia?”

Aro nodded “And that you left with your mother for a better life at the age of six.” He seemed proud of the knowledge reiterating my point. Sweet.

“That’s correct, my mother's name was Oźwiena; Slavic goddess of gossip and stories, fitting I think, for my mother never tired of stories to impart upon me, and she could never keep a secret, especially not from herself, the minute she had a revelation about an action she had done which may have confused her, she would share her findings with anyone and everyone.”

“She sounds like a good mother,” Marcus commented.

I gave a fond smile, “She was. The best. She called me Lada, Slavic goddess of eternal youth and love, although it wasn’t my birth name, that was stolen and used by people that stained it in their filthy mouths.” Aro’s hand clenched in mine and I rubbed my thumb in a soothing motion, it was my turn to keep my mates calm.

“You have to understand, when we left Russia, we had nothing, no permits to travel, no money, we were fleeing to a better life, one away from the war and poverty of our town.” My mind flashed to remember the screaming and sound of gunfire, I didn’t remember much of Russia as I had only been six but what I did, certainly added to my inability to sleep.

“My mother was very young, only 21 and looking after me alone, but she loved me more than anything in the world so when some strangers went passing through the village offered us transport to Norway where we could start our new lives, she took them up on their offer. It seemed genuine, in exchange for the help my mother would work for them in their factory they had set up in Norway. Except that’s not what happened.”

Caius spoke up seemingly confused “They did not deliver you to Norway?”

Aro spoke through a clenched jaw “Oźwiena and our dearest were taken by these men to a camp of many others in similar circumstances where the ones who had offered them freedom, keep them prisoner and forced-”

He broke off staring pained at the wall, so I stepped in, recognising Caius’s irritated expression, “Trafficking. We were held against our will, forced into sexual labour.”

Caius stood abruptly, “Where are these men?! We will rip out their hearts and spike them on a spit!” He began to pace, part of me wanted to go and comfort him, but a bigger part of me wanted this whole experience over with, so I continued.

“My mum tried her best to shield me, and for a time she managed to hide me in one of the shipping containers and not draw attention to me, but they eventually found out and as punishment, they strapped me to a wooden chair.”

Caius back went rigid and he stayed stock still, as though looking at the clouds going by, but I knew he wasn't.

Marcus’s voice startled me into looking at his own ashen face, “That is why you do not like to sit on chairs? Because of whatever they did?”

I played nervously with my unoccupied hand, “Yes. It wasn’t anything worse than what was to come, but it has remained in my mind vividly for years, I can’t- they tied my top half secure and then allowed their customers a ‘free sample’.” I gave a dark laugh “My mother went ballistic, I’m still not entirely sure what they did to her, but she didn’t return to our ‘room’ for a few weeks when she did she was bleeding heavily and drugged to hell.”

There was silence and I didn’t feel it necessary to linger on that any longer, “When I was 9 years old, my mother never came back to our room, I asked after her but that only got me in trouble. Not that it stopped me though, I was a trouble maker, one of my ‘loyal’ customers liked that I fought back, it was the only thing that saved me from being drugged into a permanent zombie state, like a lot of the other girls. It also meant that when my customers weren’t there I was tied down to my chair, unable to move or do anything, but unlike them I completely lucid, I still don't know which was worse."

I tried not to notice Marcus's hand clench on his thigh, Aro's ashen face and Caiu's ridged back. I tried.

"Around 3 years after my mum went missing, I heard, what I had thought was a rescue, officers came to investigate our building, there was no way they didn't know what was going on, they walked down the aisle, I hear their footsteps on the concrete floor and sometimes they drew back a curtain to one of the ‘rooms’. But they did nothing, at the time this didn’t occur to me and in my vocal state I called out. I drew attention to myself and a group of the 'officers' pulled back the curtain. I wasted no time telling them about my missing mother and trying to explain the situation. I didn't understand at first why they laughed at me. I figured it out pretty soon."

I flinched as a flash showed Caius disappearing and a crash sounded throughout the plane.

"Good talk," I mumbled sarcastically to myself.

Aro pulled me into him and we waited out the sounds of destruction. My eyes watched Marcus but I couldn't read him, it was odd, I usually felt I was able to. I knew what I'd told him was bothering him, but there was another emotion flickering on his face which I couldn't decipher.

It didn't help that I knew they were all having a mind-conversation. Not fair when I couldn't be a part of it.

Caius eventually came out and sat next to Marcus, he had venom in his eyes and before Aro could stop me I launched myself at him, settling under his chin I let my own tears out, despite wanting to comfort my mates, it was difficult to talk about and before I knew it I was clutching on to him trying to muffle my sobs.

Three sets of purrs vibrated around me and I calmed down, "I'm sorry."

Caius clutched me tighter, "It is I who is sorry my mate. I should be here for your rage not the other way around."

I gave a watery laugh pulling back to address them all "Let's just agree to stop apologising to each other for caring, yeah?"

Aro nodded "That sounds like a marvellous idea Amore. Although, perhaps we should finish this conversation so it may rest at peace when we return home?"

He posed it as a question to me, but I looked at Caius assessing whether it was a good idea.

"There's more?" He inquired with a hint of fear to his voice.

"Not really," I reassured him, "Just how I got to where I am now."

Marcus nodded "Go ahead then my dear."

"Well these officers became regulars of mine after that, and from then on I felt my trust in a saviour disappear. I no longer believed someone would come and save us and so I began to fight harder, tooth and nail until I had to be chained to a mattress as well. It didn't matter though, to me the point wasn't to escape, or even to hurt the men who visited me, it was to scream, I hated them, I needed an outlet, unlike the other girls I wasn't screwed up with chemicals, unable to tell the difference between asleep and awake. I knew when I was awake and I wanted everyone else to know as well.

Eventually, I matured in the mindset that I didn't need to scream to escape that hell, I needed to physically leave. Which was a difficult task either chained to a bed with someone on top of me or tied to a chair. I did escape though, one night after the man left, I was on the bed but I wasn't chained, they had forgotten to do so-" I gave a watery laugh "-Dumb luck.

It would often take them a while before they moved me back into my chair, but it was the day so there were fewer customers, not that I could tell from the inside, but I had, had plenty time to notice things. I found I was good at that, noticing things.

I noticed that the guards had lighter feet than our customers, but they often relaxed in their duties during the day, they would sit at the end of the hall created by our rooms and they would play cards. I could hear them. I snuck out that night, and I went past the rooms then I hid inside the last curtain at the end of the hall, and I waited until they got up from their game and went past me to do their rounds, then I ran.

I made it outside, a few more had guns and were walking the perimeter, it was a sort of junkyard, so I hid, I'm good at that too. I would have waited till nightfall but I knew when it was announced I was missing every single inch of that place would be torn up in a search for me. I was 12 and knew very little of how the world, but I knew how hell did. I _also_ knew that gasoline made fire go faster and burn brighter. I learned that when a girl had tried to escape, they strapped her to a chair like mine and they made us all watch as they burned her."

Aro sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes almost in pain, clearly remembering how I had felt in that moment.

"I was in a junkyard and I could see a big barrel of gasoline, I considered for the briefest of moments, burning everything, every _fucking_ thing. I wanted to trap them, trap them like they traped us, I wanted them to scream, I didn't care about the other girls and for the briefest moment, I considered it a mercy.

But I didn't do that. I couldn't, not to the girls like me, not when I had remembered the other ones screams, her name had been India. I'll always remember that. They called us by our names and I hated it. I knew I would never go by my name again, my mother understood that it's why she called me Lada, but I didn't want anyone else calling me that either so later I chose a new name for myself.

"Blue Adams," Marcus said fondly.

"Yes." I told him "Know why?"

He shook his head a look of curiosity taking over it momentarily. 

"Because when I was with my mother shaking and scared, she would always say to me, 'Не бойся, Лада, небо все равно будет синим, когда мы вернемся под него' It means don't be afraid Lada, the sky will still be blue when we return beneath it.' I believed her, and when I escaped and found my feet on American soil, far from that place, I chose Blue, because I hoped one day she would return to me also.

Caius purred "That is a beautiful sentiment Carissima, but why Adams?"

I gave a genuine laugh "Oh that is not so deep. It was the first movie I ever saw and it became my favourite by far, perhaps there is something about me that likes dark and strange beings with a touch of supernatural?" I gave them a pointed look and was hoisted onto Aro's lap. I let him nuzzle me and I wrapped my arms around him with a yawn.

Suddenly Marcus was holding me bridal style, "Bed beloved, another time we will learn of how you escaped that place. For now, you are here, with us."

I grinned up at him "But I'm not tired?" I expected him to see his usual smirk and declare a way to tire me out, but instead, his eyes flickered with that same emotion I couldn't place and he headed for another room, one Caius had not trashed. 

"Your body says differently."

I narrowed my eyes watching him leave after sitting me on the bed. Something I did not understand was going on his head. I'd have to ensure he did not, for some strange reason take his anger out on himself, all my mates would have different ways of processing the new information I had provided tonight. Caius would rage and then he would plan, he would no doubt look to track down who had taken me, but he would find himself beaten to the punch in that regard.

Aro was different, he now knew all I knew, and he would need more time to process before his emotions fully hit, however, I got the impression he would not allow his own anger to show so obviously if he needed to destroy a room I doubted I would ever know about it, and once he had come to terms with the things I'd been through, he would reassure himself by most likely fortifying every defence he could imagine. It would be unbearable for some time I suspected, but I knew I would tell him if he went too crazy.

Marcus on the other hand, I did not know. I couldn't picture the usually calm and sleek King in a fit of rage, I think his anger might be more sudden and with a bright flicker of rage, but gone just as quickly, I wasn't sure where he would focus it.

I flopped on the bed pondering about my mates and found myself drifting off.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Google Docs spazzed out on me and I lost this entire chapter, meaning I had to re-write it. Did I remember what I had written, hahaha No. No, I did not.
> 
> Also, I'm two weeks behind in my schoolwork due to being in lockdown and not being in school, obviously, I decided to write this story instead of doing the online stuff set, unfortunately, this has come to the attention of some of my teachers and as such updates might be a little slower.

* * *

Marcus walked back into the main compartment of the jet and fell into silence with his brothers. Caius was the one to break it and not with what they had been expecting. “Someone told her Aro’s powers included the physical feelings she had felt.”

He looked at Aro, who’s confused expression melted away as Caius continued, “She believed she was protecting you from pain by not letting you into her mind.”

Marcus and Aro’s back straightened as they followed his train of thought. Someone had planted that information with the purpose of Aro not seeing into Blue’s mind, the questions were who and why?

Aro shook his head lightly in befuddlement “I did not see anything in her memories, some are still mixed up for me, I will need time to process first.

Marcus nodded but Caius wasn’t finished, he had a point to make to their eldest mate. “It appears that both Aro and Blue were attempting to protect each other for themselves, I would hate a similar occurrence to take place simply because we did not communicate, as you so often suggest we should, Marcus.”

Marcus' face crumpled at being called out and he couldn’t help the pain that shone in them. “It was her first night with us- and she cried… I-”

Aro interrupted him not letting the rest of the sentence fall from his mate's mouth “I assure you, my mate.” He flashed to the bond-seers side “I have read her thoughts and feelings of that night, they are very clear in my mind, she did not once think of the horrors she experienced, our newest mate felt safety with us that she has never experienced with any other. You did no wrong and she would be destroyed to think you thought as much of yourself.”

Caius sat on Marcus’s other side boxing him in and giving the comfort they all needed at that moment. Marcus seemed to accept the information Aro gave at face value, but they all knew it would take some time before he would truly forgive himself.

Caius gave a bitter chuckle at the thought and his mates returned it. What a joyous occasion to meet their last mate, what a saddening thought to find her past full of pain. Better to think of the future they would share.

\--IMMORTAL--

I woke up surrounded by familiar back sheets, pushing myself up I just managed to stop from ‘awwing’ at the sight before me. I kept myself from making any sudden movements or noise that might disturb the tranquil domestic view my mates were providing.

Caius was lounging in front of the door on the floor with his long legs crossed in the air behind his back, he looked to be sketching in some form of journal.

Marcu had fit himself into the stone arch of the window, with his legs outstretched to brace himself he gazed at the city below, I could only faintly hear what sounded like the murmurings of Latin leaving his lips.

Aro was the most curious, unlike the usual fluttering energy I was used to seeing around him, he appeared truly at peace and was lying eyes closed on the armchair in the corner of the room. If I didn’t know any better I’d have thought him asleep.

Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he was looking directly at me, the same familiar Cheshire smile upon his face. “You are awake dearest!”

At his call, Caius stopped his drawing and instead turned on his side to allow me the view of his face. Marcus jumped down from the window and approached the bed.

“It would appear so.” I quipped back, my eyes lit up, “Hey we’re back! That means Olly’s here!” I jumped out of the bed only pausing long enough to give the sheer nightgown I was dressed in a strange look before running to the bathroom and into the shower.

I practically heard the eye roll from Caius. I’d spend plenty of time with them later, for now, I had a child to visit.

Once I was dressed in my regular black jeans and turtleneck I darted out of the bathroom and unsuccessfully tried to pass Caius who caught me and pulled me into a filthy kiss.

“Caius!”

He chuckled at my protest and released me with a smirk, “Worry not, we have to return to our duties as well.”

Aro gave a nod of agreement “Alas we must. Don’t let it deter you from a visit though dearest!”

I gave him a nod and ran out the door with a shout goodbye “I’ll be back to you soon!”

Marcus muttered under his breath “Always on the move.”

\--IMMORTAL--

“Banana!” I found Olly unsurprisingly in the library. 

I caught the mop of brown hair that flew at me and used the momentum to swing him around. “Olly!” I shouted back with just as much enthusiasm.

Once I’d placed him back on the ground he seized my hand and dragged me over to one of the tables within the isles, apparently he’d mastered navigating the gigantic library in my time gone.

Olly began telling me his findings by holding up one of the heavy volumes and passed it to me, “Archive of the Kings, it’s Vampire history mostly covens fighting to rule the Vampire world, starting from when Marcus, Aro and Caius found each other.”

I took it from him with a thanks, it was heavy but not as much as I had expected, “That’s interesting, so there were other Vampire covens that ruled before the Volturi?”

He shook his head, “No, it _starts_ then,” He reminded me, in a duh voice, “And I only read some of it, it’s hard cause it’s all in Latin, I asked Heidi to help read some to me and I think she said that there was only one other Vampire family that tried to rule, no others ever before the Volturi.”

I raised my eyebrows, that was also surprising, I’d never given it much thought how my mates came into their role as upholders of the law, hopefully, the book would provide some insight.

Olly pulled out a crumpled bit of paper and pointed to a few of the words, ‘Romanian’, ‘Vlad’, ‘Dacian’, ‘Transylvania’, “I could read those words in this book.”

Probably because they were all places or names, it was a little shocking so many of the words I’d asked for were in one single book. I smiled at him “That’s amazing kid, thank you so much.”

He shoved another book towards me, it was significantly smaller and held no inscription or title but was bound in red leather. “It’s another book I found,” He answered my unspoken question.

I picked it up and examined the outside, “Which words did you find in it?” Opening the cover showed it was in English, Odd.

“Cut, and Rugged.”

I gave him a confused look, “Not mountain?” I’d only put those words in because google had said the Carpathian Mountains were also called the Rugged or Cut mountains. He shook his head negative. Thankful he’d bothered at all, I pocketed the smaller book and pulled him into a hug. Half-jokingly I asked “No Dracula?”

He shoved me away with a laugh, “No I only found Marcus’s books that he wrote about Dracula, did you know that Marcus likes to try and make people believe he was real? He tried to tell me that, but I’m not stupid.”

I ruffled his hair. “Of course you’re not, did you give him a proper telling off?”

He puffed out his chest, before deflating, “No, otherwise I think he won't let me ride on his shoulders anymore.”

I scoffed, “That’s ridiculous, I promise you kid if Marcus ever threatens to not let you ride on his shoulders, you send him to me and I’ll sort him out for you.”

He sniggered, obviously picturing my shorter stature trying to scold the Mr unimpressed and unmoved by anything facade he gave off. “Come on Olly, let's get some food.”

I picked up the bigger volume and took it with me to read later on, for now, I needed to spend some time with Olly.

\--IMMORTAL--

Back in my room alone and ready to follow up some suspicions I found myself procrastinating, the Latin was so tiresome to translate, eventually it occurred to me that I had heard my mates call me various pet names in Latin, and given their age it was likely they spoke the language, not to mention they had offered to tell me of Vampire history previously.

Deciding to go and pester them to read their own history to me seemed like a fantastic way to force my presence upon them, which I fully intended to do, so without any more hesitation, I sprinted down to the throne room.

I nearly ran straight into the doors due to my unfortunate habit of looking down when I moved but was saved at the last second by Demetri. “Going somewhere mi Regina?”

I pointed awkwardly to the door “In?”

Felix stepped up, “The Kings are holding a trial currently.”

“Oh,” I deflated a little before perking back up “Can I watch?”

He nodded heading over to open the doors “You may do whatever you wish.”

“Great!” I followed behind him as he pushed open the doors and watched as all their heads turned to see me, I ignored the four Vampires in front of Aro and instead gave them a wave “Hi!”

I was abruptly moved and found myself sitting on Marcu’s lap then he resumed his sombre look, but the hand tracing patterns into my spine let me know he was very much content.

Aro resumed as though nothing had happened and Caius threw me a single cheeky smirk before returning to his resting angry expression.

It was now the new vampires that proved to be interesting, I stayed quiet and watched, but every now and then their eyes would flicker to me with confusion and a touch of… fear.

The trial ended with Vampire pieces on the floor and Aro standing immaculately before the broken shards. I had very nearly prepared to jump up and try to protect him when two of the Vampires had lunged, he seemed to be completely unmoving as though he hadn’t even noticed them. Before I could shout out a warning Caius had grabbed the first one and threw her across the room before decapitating the second and then finishing off the first.

It all happened within a few moments and once the other two Vampires had realised their coven mates were destroyed they too attacked, just as effortlessly being pulled apart by my mate.

Once Caius was standing before Aro, lazily tossing an arm aside I untensed. It was alright, they were fine. It had been captivating to watch. The act had far from disturbed me, the culprits had been declared guilty of recklessly feeding on children.

I think, in this case, the children part had been more the cause of their ultimate demise than the recklessness. It was interesting to see my mates take my suggestion, I think there may be a few more ‘laws’ enforced if I had anything to say about it. Judging from Marcus’s adoring expression, I would.

Marcus purred into my back, scolding Aro lightly “I may like to play with people from time to time Amore, but Aro also enjoys his games.

Aro waved off our concerns gesturing to Caius who had a glint in his eye coming from the rush of violence he’d partook in. “I find it is so much more pleasing to witness my mates let loose than simply imparting justice myself.”

Caius chuckled appearing behind Aro to playfully nip at his neck. “Aro,” His voice was low in warning “Our mate is still new to our world, you frightened her.”

Aro looked rightfully abashed and I crossed my arms with a huff, “Maybe I don’t like the idea of you getting hurt just as much as you don’t like the idea of me getting hurt.” I saw his jaw clenched at the thought and pointed at him “See!”

He chuckled, pulling away from Caius and stretching out in front of Marcus’s throne, Caius leant against the back of Aros, all of them giving me their full attention. My mates sure did like lounging on everything they found.

Marcus ran a hand through my hair “Come to see us for a reason, my dear?”

I waved the giant book up drawing their attention to it, “You bet. I was wondering if any of you knew Latin?”

Caius had a mischievous look on his face, “Why of course dearest, it is our first language.”

I felt a shiver go through me, god damn my weird language kink. Trying to ignore my own reactions I held out the book to him, “Can you please read some of it to me?”

Caius cocked his head as he read the cover, “Our History Amore?”

I nodded, and deciding to be completely open with them, I elaborated, “I’ve actually been looking into the strange death of Didyme,” I felt Marcus’s arm clench around me and say my other mates get a bit more serious. “I understand she was an important member of this coven and as such, I would like to put my skills to use to try and figure out what actually happened to her.”

Marcus brushed his hand over my own, “That is awfully nice of you my dear, if your skills in your field found the answer to our centuries-long mystery, we would be most appreciative.”

Aro gave a sound of agreement, “I do believe I viewed some of your memories as you searched for dear Didyme.”

I reached up to play with Marcus’s hair, “Yes, I’ll be honest it’s actually the reason I was in Italy in the first place. Remember those documents I mentioned, that talked about the ‘angelic-beings’ and the Volturi, who I thought was a cult?”

Caius nodded intrigued.

“Yeah well, they mentioned how the ‘beings’ appeared in mourning, I found some more connected with Didyme, and actually doing some more recent research on my translations, and google, I found a few keywords I wanted to research but I feel like I needed to know a bit more about the past before I can decipher any of it.”

Aro stole the book from Caius, “Well I suppose we’d better read it to you then?”

Caius rolled his eyes allowing the thieving and settled into a seated position while Aro’s melodic voice rang out.

Aro read for what must have been an hour at least until we moved into the antechamber sitting in the seats for more comfortable positioning, and this way I could write down notes as I listened.

By the end of the novel, it had been a good portion of the day and I understood a lot more about the world I would enter. I also had interjections from my other mates who would elaborate on a point in time or an action taken. Caius told of the outlawing of immortal children and the destruction they caused, Marcus talked of newborn army wars, and through that, I learned how newborns were very strong and dangerous Vampires due to their own blood remaining in their cells.

It was all incredibly fascinating but I was the most fascinated with the other coven that had attempted to rule, the Dacian coven. During the time of Didyme’s disappearance, the Dacian coven had seized control of the Vampire world, with Marcus and Aro tirelessly searching for Didyme, it had been left to Caius to control their world.

The Dacian coven had ‘ruled’ for around 1500 years, over which time they undid all the hard work at concealing Vampirism from humanity the Volturi had tried to achieve, from the other covens time as rulers they flaunted their status and stories of Vampires spread remaining in tales of mythology to this day.

Caius had trained the guard and strategically battled with the coven during this time until Marcus and Aro had exhausted all possibilities of finding Didyme, announced as dead the other two were able to move on from their mourning and under Caius’s guide they took back control and began to enforce the ‘death’ of vampirism to the humans. The Dacian coven never did attempt another takeover, the hundred or so coven members had overwhelmed the Volturi at the time however with Aro and Marcus no longer distracted they stood no chance.

My mates had destroyed their lands and castle setting fire to it all, a few of the members escaped but they were never hunted down as they never made trouble. It wasn't worth the effort. “What did they look like?” I questioned, “The ones who escaped?” My mind flickered to Agent Dacian, he was just strange, I really shouldn’t be so unnerved by him, he had brown eyes obviously he wasn’t a Vampire, but he did have the same name.

Aro seemed to ponder for a moment before turning to Caius “I do not recall, do you, brother?”

Caius shook his head “I don’t believe we ever meet the two, although Demetri tells me they have spoken to others of their dislike for us.” He grinned at that.

“One other question, the Dacian Coven, where did they reside? Where was their castle that you burnt down?”

Marcus piped up “Romania. Although it was called Transylvania at the time, the origins of Dracula, due to the lack of subtlety the Dacian coven ruled with.”

Huh, Romanian, Transylvania. I didn’t believe for a second that Didyme’s disappearance right before the Dacian coven’s takeover was a coincidence, but the question remained, how had they taken her? After all, Demetri could track anyone and especially remove her from within the castle, it seemed impossible to even consider. Still, I was living with Vampires so I decided not to draw a line, I’d figure it out, I was sure of it.

For now, I turned to my mates with a curious look, “It’s okay if I keep looking into this?” I needed to be sure, not wanting to bring back bad memories or throw my mates into depression.

Aro pulled me into his arms reading my thoughts with a gentle smile, “Of course beloved, as Marcus said, it is sweet you care to solve this mystery.”

“Can I also visit Daniella, Misham and the others?”

He sighed nodding again, clearly not pleased with me going back to America but also understanding my perspective. Caus gave a perplexed look, “I am unsure who you speak of.”

Lighting up I elaborated, “Daniella is the girl who the nurse Sylvia introduced me to, the one who had been used as a feeding bag for a Vampire, and the reason I found the others, Misham’s her brother, I need to check on their healing progress, Misham’s in a coma at the moment and Sylvia’s still weaning Daniella and the others off the drugs they were on, but they’ll heal, I know it.”

Caius looked uncomfortable with what he was about to say next, knowing what it was I beat him to the punch, “I’m perfectly happy to take any guard you decided.”

Marcus shot me a curious look, I understood it had been a point I was most adamant on last time. “If! They only feed on criminals, regardless of how hard that is to figure out, and no more than two guards.”

Caius nodded “That is fair, but we would like if these visits only lasted for a week at a time, at least while we are still beginning to get to know you Carissima.”

“A week every month?”

He chuckled, “That is acceptable.”

A look at Marcus and a gentle squeeze of my hand showed my other mates agreed with the compromise, “Awesome!”

Aro set me on the table and addressed another issue, “As your safety is our topmost concern, we would feel much better you going to America if at some point in the near future you considered becoming one of us.”

I shrugged, not really fazed by what most would probably consider a big decision, it would happen at some point. I failed to see the reason to delay it, although… my birthday was in two months meaning I would be the same age as Caius physically, could be a good way to mark my turning. “What about the 7th of May?”

Caius cocked his head to the side, “Why then?”

“It’s my birthday!” I grinned “I’ll be as old as you, then we can be twin-oldest!”

My mates chuckled, enjoying my enthusiasm. Marcus flashed to grab a planner and noted down the date. “It’s set then, the 7th of May your transformation.

Aro became serious “You are aware dearest that the transformation takes three days to complete and is a painful process?”

“Uh no, I didn’t know that, but it’s fine, you’ll help me through it right?”

They flashed to my side. “Always Darling.”

\--IMMORTAL--

I’d asked after the Elite guard and found out they were back in Seattle getting rid of the newborn vampire army then they would be back home. I was glad I didn’t actually want them away for long. I was starting to miss them and I knew Olly was as well.

I had been concerned about the Vampire that had been draining humans but conceded that if Demetri couldn’t track them, there was little we could do for now. My mates had taken the task personally though and were researching their archives to find information on gifted Vampires as well as seeing if any other Vampires knew who hunted in the area.

I was glad more laws were beginning to be enforced, but my mind was mostly stuck on pondering another mystery, with the new information I had gained I decided to start working on my plan.

_Ring Ring_

“Blue?”

I felt a smile come onto my face at her voice “Hey Bells, it’s Sunday so I’m guessing you haven’t left Forks yet?”

“No, not yet, tomorrow morning, why?”

“Well you know the Vampires grave you visited while you were here in Italy?”

“Didyme’s?”

“Yep, she was the Vampire I was looking into the disappearance of. I found some information that hinted she may have been abducted to Romania when she went missing, are you still able to choose where you’re going?”

“Really! You think she was taken to Romania?”

I nodded forgetting she couldn’t see, “Yes, I thought you might be interested in doing some detective work of your own, obviously you don’t have to bu-”

“-No that’s awesome, I can definitely go to Romania, WorldPackers have some places where I can volunteer at. Any idea whereabouts in Romania? It’s a big place.”

“Transylvania was originally Romania, Central Romania to be specific, look around the west side of the Carpathian mountain range.”

“Alright I’ll put in my request, thanks for the call Blue, it’s going to be quite the adventure.”

“Focus on yourself first, but if you get the chance and feel up to it do some digging.”

She seemed about to hang up when a muffled voice called out.

“Is that Blue?”

Bella handed the phone over and I brightened at the unmistakable sound of Charlie’s voice, “Hey kid hasn't seen you in a while.”

“Hiya Charlie. Kid really?”

He chuckled “I heard about you closing the sex club case, good job on that.”

“Thanks, Chief, but I did have a good partner.”

“Oh, I thought your office tended to avoid partnering you?”

I let out a genuine laugh, relaxing at the talk with the easy-going man “I was assigned the case by the feds, it was kind of strange actually, Agent Dacian seemed instant I work with them, took me off the Wonka case for it actually.”

“I heard that the Serial Killer was caught, I didn’t know it was your case?”

I sighed still feeling a little sting thinking about it “Yeah I didn’t close it, Agent Asshole did, but caught the perp, so that’s what matters.” Maybe if I said it enough time I’d stop being bitter?

“Agent Asshole, quite the name? Take it you don’t like the fellow much?”

“I get the feeling he doesn't like me, certainly took the time to rub my unfinished case in my face.”

“The Wilsons’s case? Don’t beat yourself up about that Blue, the kid was found, sometimes you don’t always get the loose ends, maybe the Wilsons got the meds from the manufacturer themselves, you could never track that.”

I froze with the phone pressed to my ear, I hadn't actually been talking about that case, I had forgotten I hadn’t closed it, sure Olly had been found but I had never figured out how the Wilson’s acquired their drugs…

“Blue?”

“Oh sorry, Charlie. It’s been really great catching up with you, and I’ll call again soon I promise.”

“Alright, thanks for looking out for Bells again. Catch you later.”

I hung up and raced to my room, Marcus’s words echoing in my head, _always on the move_.

I made it without running into anything and proceeded to upturn my satchel onto my bed, shoving papers aside. I nearly gave up figuring I’d lost it when sleek black caught my eye. Grabbing it I let out a sound of triumph. It was the voice recorder I’d brought on Olly’s birthday in Forks, I’d used it when I had pondered various parts of cases allowed, I’d also had it on me during the Cullens trial, wanting to analyze Edwards interactions with Bella but never getting around to it later.

Something Aro had said had been bothering me and I couldn’t quite figure it out. Clicking on the listen button I skipped through the recordings.

“...and the age of 18 reflects the kids wild nature-”

Nope. Wonka case.

“... oh for fuck's sake, how on earth am I supposed to translate this ancient language for stacks of stupid paper!”

Nope.

“...and in conclusion, I am a dumbass for thinking anything could possibly be translated into English.”

I sure did like to express myself when no one else was around.

“...As for the other one, you are very lucky, very lucky indeed.”

There it was, Aro’s voice almost making me forget the purpose and I listened to the recording again.

_“As for the other one, you are very lucky, very lucky indeed.”_

Other one. At the time I had been ignorant of the mating laws but now I knew them. I knew it was law to inform the Vampire if you were able to find their mate, as long as it did them no harm and they were overage. If you found the mate of a Vampire who was underage it did not have to be reported but it was expected that you watched over them.

I remember thinking Carlisle must have something against mates if he had prevented another for being with their mate, but Aro would have surely killed him for breaking the law, the only way Carlisle might have gotten around it was if said mate was underage.

My mind pulled up the only other mate to a Vampire I could imagine the Cullens knowing, without Bella as an option, it left Olly. Olly was underage.

I felt a spike of white-hot anger race through me and tried not to jump to conclusions. Carlisle might have known Olly was the mate of the witch twins and simply neglected to inform Volturi, however, I couldn’t stop the connections linking in my mind. Carlisle was a doctor, a doctor who had access to drugs and was able to prescribe them.

I had previously found him suspicious when learning about Vampires I had put my suspicions down to that. What if it was more, what if Carlisle actively tried to prevent the union of Olly and his mates by providing the drugs necessary to incapacitate him to his mentally sick caregivers.

I drew in a sharp breath and exited the room, well there was one way to find out. Aro would know.

\--IMMORTAL--

My back went rigid and I turned narrowed eyes on him, my voice deadly “What?”

My mates were in the library working and I had just asked Aro if Carlisle had been giving the drugs to the Wilsons.

Aro realised I was very close to angry and seemed to believe it was aimed at him, which I also noticed, not wanting them to think me mad at him I took a breath “Let me get this straight, I wouldn’t want to be mistaken in this. Carlisle Cullen, the Doctor sworn to protect and do no harm, provided medication with the knowledge it was being used unethically to immobilize and control, also slowly killing a 7-year-old boy?”

“That is correct.” He said warily

I drew air in sharply through my nose. “Because he recognised Olly as the mate to the ‘Volturi twins?”

A nod.

Oh, this was not a good day to be Carlise Cullen.

“Should have let that army kill them,” I muttered darkly.

Caius chuckled, but gained a slightly guilty look at my withering glare, “Darling,” He placated “I understand your anger, however as he had technically broken no law it would be unwise to destroy him for it.” He flashed to my side pulling my chin up to face him.

I narrowed my eyes, not bothered that they weren't doing anything about it, I definitely understood, besides this was a personal issue, Carlisle had made an enemy this day, but I was patient, revenge would come. “I don’t intend to destroy him” I pulled out of his touch with a flick of my hair over my shoulders. I exited the library, “But I assure you, we will not be friends.”

I felt Aro’s fond look and scowled at the floor, Carlisle would not find my rage quote so adorable.

Marcus shot his brothers a look, he did not think it was wise for Carlisle to anger their mate so thoroughly at the very beginning of her eternity, she would make a powerful enemy.

\--IMMORTAL--

I made my first visit back to America three weeks later, taking Demetri and Felix with me. They mainly stayed in the background but I could tell they found the kids adorable.

There had been progress on their healing. Daniella was now able to communicate but still unable to move, she had been swapped from her wheelchair to a hospital bed which could be moved into a sitting position. Misham had also woken from his coma and seemed to be doing better than his sister with moving, but besides the initial adrenalin that had helped him to push his sister through the forest, it was still a very difficult process, their bodies were incredibly weak and fragile, I had overheard Felix comment he was afraid to look too hard in case they broke.

Misham had been moved into Daniella’s room once he had woken and all the other survivors also were placed in the spare operating ward, it was still very sparse with only their beds and each other in the room.

I was frustrated to learn that Sylvia was one of the few taking care of them but Alli had arrived in time to talk me out of yelling at the Hospital.

“Hey, hey, hey, Blue it won't solve anything.” She looked imploringly at me and I sighed returning to the room with her by my side.

“Hey Misham,” I knelt beside his bed, considering he might not remember me.

“Hi!” his enthusiastic response proved me wrong. “Are you going to name my friends too?”

I looked out over to the other beds who were watching our interaction and blushed “They probably don’t want that buddy.”

Sylvia gave me a gentle smile, “I think you’ll find they have been eagerly awaiting for you to give them their names.”

I glanced at the girl in front of me, her eyes were haunted and it wasn’t really fair to call her a girl, she was probably around my own age, maybe older. She nodded “Please?”

A little unprepared I glanced at Alli, who was no help only grinning. So I dragged a chair in front of the door, all of them in my sight and placed my hands under my chin, an imitation of Aro that I pulled on for strength in this emotional moment. “Alright, but you’re going to have to tell me about yourselves first.”

It was hard hearing how little each of them had to share, their lives devoid of many experiences and most of them unable to put their personality into words, never having had the opportunity to discover themselves. Alli sat beside me and Sylvia moved around ensuring all of them were comfortable while we listened. Felix and Demetri guarded the door.

There were eleven in total including Misham and Daniella, I had been correct in assuming they had been in situations where they wouldn’t be missed, Daniella and Misham had been in the foster system along with the three youngest, a boy and girl at 13 and another boy Daniella’s age at 16. The oldest was a man at 36, another at 22 and a woman at 27. They had all been taken from rougher parts of the state, but I was horrified to learn the 27-year-old woman had been the first taken, at 16 years old. She had been there for 11 years.

Another girl at 19 was the sister to the 22-year-old boy, she too had been stolen from the streets. The last two girls were 20 and 17, they didn’t talk much but seemed very close, they had been beside each other in the line, one taken after being left to die on the street after a mugging and the 17-year-old didn’t remember anything before the room.

They spoke a bit about what had been done to them, mostly they only remembered being in a haze, but occasionally it cleared and they were left staring at the wall in front of them unable to move or do anything except see.

“He used to talk to us.” The youngest boy whispered, almost as though afraid the Vampire would appear at the mention of him. “If he didn’t know our names he would call us one he made up, he always seemed nice when he was talking but it scared me for some reason.”

The girl who had been taken first let ou a bitter sound “Yeah because he was a creep, he’d brush our hair and say ‘nice’ things like, ‘Aren’t you looking lovely today?’” I winced at the image her words gave, not only were they in hell for years, but in a constant state of confusion and fear, but they also had to deal with being looked over by a sick fuck.

“Would any of you like a hair cut?” I abruptly changed the conversation and was met by a baffled silence. A moment passed before the 19-year-old girl gave a yearning sound “Please.” Her brother was quick to agree wanting his beard removed and hair cropped short, soon I was writing down what they all wanted while Alli rang a hairdresser.

The rest of the day was spent styling and making each of the kids feel a little more in control of their own lives, a few of them like the 17-year-old girl and the 16-year-old boy, who didn’t remember much of their lives before also hadn’t seen their own appearance, when they were shown themselves in the mirror the look of wonder and shock had been heartbreaking.

I stayed into the night not needing sleep, while they rested and Sylvia’s shift ended. I went and spoke to the physiotherapist, wanting to learn as much as I could to help the survivors recover.

The first step would be to introduce them to parts of the world, things that might grab their interest and help them recognise more of who they were, then help them gain some independence. This week I will definitely be busy.

Alli filled me in on all I had missed since I’d been gone since the Lincoln police had found nothing, the case had been taken up by the FBI and Agent Dacian had taken the case, he'd also insisted Alli be his partner on it. I was a little concerned Alli was looking into a Vampire affair and resolved to keep an eye on her.

Everything seemed to be going rather smoothly, and by the end of the week, my names for the remaining 9 survivors had been approved.

The neatly shaved 22 year old along with his red-haired sister were called Alder and Blossom respectively. Blossom had a rather strong feel to her, a leadership quality in the 19-year-old and her resemblance to the power puff girl was unable to be overlooked, mainly because as soon as we’d turned on the screen and the show came on she had declared, ‘that’s me!’ Her brother was a little more reserved and tended to act as a sort of protector and calmer version, Alder seemed appropriately wise and fitting for the tall lad.

The two shy girls had requested to be named after jewels as they had found my necklace captivating, I had explained it was a ruby and given it to them, happy to see something else brighten the room, the hung it between their beds, which had been pushed close together, no doubt by Alli. The 20-year-old, who had suffered a mugging I graced Soraya and the younger girl who remembered nothing else of her life Esmeralda, a name she took excitedly too after watching the hunchback of Notre dame.

The girl of 27 chose her own name, needing her life to be her own after losing so much of it, she called herself Janis after Janus the Roman god of new beginnings and the transition period from war to peace.

Alli and I had raced to the town and went on a shopping spree, Demetri happy to join, we pulled many books off shelves and heaps of clothing, despite knowing they would rarely see their clothes under the sheets of the hospital beds, we grabbed random nick-nacks from dollar stores and Felix carried up small bedside tables to fill their room.

Among our stuff the 16-year-old foster boy immediately latched onto Shakespeare granting him the name Ferdinand, Janis had tried to shorten it to Ferd or Fred launching a staunch defence by Ferdinand, insisting that he would only respond to Ferdinand nothing less, resulting in Blossom calling him F.

The oldest man of 36 had a very gentle soul, he had pitch-black skin and a look in his eyes that screamed he was tired, the same look I had remembered seeing in my eldest mate when speaking of Didyme. I thought long and hard about his name, he had smiled whilst I pondered apparently finding my concentration endearing. I finally suggested “Ewan?”

“Sounds wonderful.”

I gave him a baffled look, “You don’t even know what it means, yet.”

The indulgent smile returned “What does it mean?”

“Young warrior.” I was proud of my choice.

He gave a deep chuckle, “Wonderfull.”

Lastly were the two 13-year-old kids they seemed rather fond of each other also, but they retained the exuberance of youth a few of the others had lost after everyone had sat through my favourite move the Addam’s family the two had tried to insist on being called Saturday and Sunday, Blossom had not been shy declaring it a stupid choice, while Jadis had tried to suggest other options, all of which were refused.

Eventually, Aldar turned to me with a desperate look “Got any suggestions?”

I cocked my head to the side examining the youngest of the group, “Dusk and Dawn?” Their eyes lit up and Blossom breathed a sigh of relief.

I couldn’t regret taking on the case, even though I knew I grew too attached, I was thankful I wasn’t the only one, Alli had visited the kids every time she could, unfortunately with her on the job, she wouldn’t be able to as often.

I couldn’t stay away from my mates for longer than a week it was unfair and I was worried about leaving them all in the hospital with only Sylvia really caring for them, but we figured out a solution with Sylvia offering to set up skype on the TV, I promised to call every night, looking forward to getting to know the group of people I would have missed.

\--IMMORTAL--

The next month passed in a blink, getting to know my mates and watch how they handled the law was intoxicating, I couldn’t get enough of it, between spending time with all the people I cared about, catching up with Charlie, checking in with Alli and Skyping the group I had taken to calling Orphics.

It was difficult to address them all without saying my hospital friends and I’d brought it up to them where Ferdanaind had suggested just calling them the orphans. I had been opposed to that, but as Orphic meant beyond ordinary understanding, I thought it was more fitting.

They were progressing well, but Sylvia had said the physio had all but confirmed their inability to walk ever again. It had occurred to me that changing them into Vampires might cure them, after discussing it with my mates they agreed so long as none were children, and as the youngest were 13 they technically aren't, my mate's other condition wad that when they were changed they would be done only a few at a time.

Marcus had also said that it would be best if I turned them as I had a strong connection with them which would only strengthen if I was their sire. Which leads to another point, my birthday.

It was in a few days and after the transformation was complete I would be unable to be around the Orphics for a few months at least, I would need to learn to control my bloodlust and get over my newborn phase, during that time my mates would be with me and helping me to learn their world.

I was excited and actually a little nervous, so I chose to seek out one of my mates. Being closest to Aro’s study I made my way down the hall and peered through the doorway. My eyes landed on him sitting cross-legged in front of an old television screen like a child. Further examination of the scene provided the answer why, beside him, Olly was in much the same position and a voice came from the screen “That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

A cheer came from Olly and Aro leaned forward, his voice showing his excitement as he rapidly explained the events from his perspective when it had first happened. “I knew they would do it, we were all listening to our radios Olly. Humans on the moon! Isn't it exciting!”

Olly nodded his head enthusiastically, “Now we can go to other planets and find the Aliens!”

Aro gave an absentminded nod back “It is still a fair bit away from that, but technology is heading there, we’ll be exploring the stars before you know it!”

I carefully crept away, letting the two bond, a feeling I couldn’t name settling in my chest at the sight.

I sort out Caius next, wanting to be distracted from the thought of the pain I would endure in a few days, understanding he simply pulled out a chair and reset his chess set. “Joining me, my dear?”

I sent him a cheeky smile “Only if you think you can handle the loss.”

“Darling, I never lose.” I didn't doubt it. Still, a challenge had been issued, and if he believed I was about to play by the rules this time, he was mistaken.

Around halfway through he slumped back in his chair with a puzzled look on his face as I knocked his pawn away with my rook. “Where are you getting all these pieces?” He gestured to my side which was now composed almost entirely of rooks and bishops.

I sent him a smirk, not about to tell him of the hours I had spent with Marcus carefully sculpting exact replicas to sneak onto the board whenever he was busy concentrating, especially when I had done it with the sole purpose of getting the adorable confused expression I was being shown now. “Must be magic.”

He narrowed his eyes trying to look stern but failing as the utter bafflement returned, “ _Curious_.”

I giggled to myself making sure to remember to tell Marcus how it had gone later. So far the last few days of my life have been good.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, another chapter looks like procrastinating to me. Also, I read SophieIsCoolIGuess comments and they fuel me, so thanks to her we have Chapter 14 ♥ You absolute legend

* * *

I cocked my head observing Caius from behind. He was painting at a speed my eyes couldn't follow but he still held a definitive grace in his strokes. He was shirtless and fully absorbed in his work, I doubted he even sensed my presence.

I originally had come to collect his for a trial as Aro had requested his presence and I was leaving anyway. I let myself gaze at my mate, he was beautiful, with both a masculine and feminine air about him, he was the embodiment of balance, his rage renowned but seeing his delicate swipes upon canvas and the way he chewed his lip before making a move in chess he was someone that many could easily pass off as one or the other, but I knew he was all of those things and more.

Fierce, intelligent, Creative, he had a strong connection with his emotions, more so than my other mates, I felt his intuition and feelings ruled his actions but never before applying logic.

"I can feel you staring love." He swivelled on the stool to give me a show of his naked chest and threw a cocky smirk, "If you want to look all you need to do is ask darling."

I moved forward until I was standing above him with my hand millimetres from his sculpted body, "And what if I want to touch?"

He breathed out "Ask."

I sunk to my knees between his own, my hand hovering by his hip "Please."

He groaned and dropped the paintbrush seemingly uncaring where it fell and dug his fingers into my hair. "Touch me." He demanded and I happily obliged.

I splayed my hands over the dip in his hips and slid them under the offending cloth, rearing closer to press a kiss above the waistband I flicked my eyes up and held his molten gaze, using my teeth to drag the zipper down.

His breath hitched and I moved my hand around to the back still tucked beneath his waistband, I pulled in a downward motion signing I wanted it off. He flashed a grin and lifted his hips just enough for me to yank the fabric out of the way I shoved them down to his ankles and moved back into my position.

He hissed as I ran my tongue along his clothed erection, I continued to pay attention to him, with licks and kisses until he gave a growl and ripped the fabric off his body removing the final layer between him and my mouth.

I allowed myself to snigger at his impatience before flicking my eyes up and sinking down onto him. His hands clenched tight in my hair before he seemed to remember himself and he released me, which just wouldn't do.

Pulling back with a string of silver connecting us, I allowed my teeth to bare showing my displeasure, he chuckled again cutting off into a groan as his fingers returned and I shot forward in response.

Having the god-like being before me whimpering under my touch brought back the power rush from before, I needed to please him, it seemed like the only important thing at that moment.

I bobbed my head swirling my tongue around the tip every now and again, the sweetness was much more appealing than a humans. I dragged my teeth every so lightly on pulling back, receiving an explicative from Caius and his hips being thrusting into me, I relaxed into the movement which seemed to encourage him and he slowly took over. My eyes fell shut and I hummed, focussing on pleasing my mate while he controlled the pace.

I could feel him becoming more urgent in his movements and knew he was close, distantly I heard a deep chuckle that came from behind and peeling my eyes open I witnessed Marcus flash behind Caius pulling him into a filthy kiss.

Aro's voice rang out in amusement "An interesting method of making Caius _come_ to us dearest."

I moaned sinking further into Caius as his broken sound was swallowed by Marcus and he came. I relaxed letting his release down my throat and gently sucking on him until Marcus pulled back and I did the same.

Caius looked delighted and wretched, they all did, although I had yet to see Marcus come properly undone. I swiped my tongue over my lip to catch all his fluid and sat back on my knees peering up at him.

Caius whined apparently being held up by Marcus who seemed to find great delight in the situation, "Seemed you wore him out, dearest."

As though to prove him wrong Caius flashed away returning fully clothed once more. Leaning forward I snagged his torn underwear and throwing him a smirk I stood shoving them in my back pocket the majority hanging out like a fashion statement.

Aro laughed and appeared in front of me to steal Caius's taste from my mouth. "Did you forget your task darling?"

I gave him a sheepish look and looked over to Caius "Ah... you're supposed to go to the throne room for a trial..."

He gave a bark of laughter "Well, I will thank you for helping me avoid that then Carissima."

I winced at Marcus fond look "Sorry?"

"I'm sure we'll find a way to forgive you darling."

They definitely did, and as it was the last night before my transformation I made sure to make up for the days I would be unavailable.

I fell asleep on Caius's chaise and woke the next morning to a different image on the canvas he had been constructing. I gazed at the image of myself in wonder. I'd never seen myself asleep and I was certain before my mates I wouldn't have looked so peaceful unconscious, but the image was touching in another way, although I'd never liked the very human process of sleeping, it would be something that I would be unable to do after today. I was quite elated with that fact, yet I knew this was Caius's way of apologizing for taking that from me. He needn't have worried I would have given up so much more with a smile upon my face if I had needed to do so.

I held no real regard for the day of my birth beside it making off another year of my life, aside from my mother and now my mates I had never told anyone the day, as such I had never received any gifts but finding my mates in my room looking equally nervous and excited made me suspect that was about to change.

Marcus took the lead as I raised an amused eyebrow in question. "Blue after what you shared with us about your past none of us were able to simply set it aside-" Alright that went a different direction than I had thought it would, "-Particularly Caius."

Cais shot him an annoyed look at being singled out but I only smirked, of course, he couldn't, I had expected as much. "Find anything interesting?" I prompted.

Aro hummed "We'll it was fascinating to learn on you're very first case as a detective you found a sex trafficking organisation, which lead to 89 arrests and several more under observation."

"Odd right?" I smirked.

Caius chuckled, gesturing to me to sit on the bed while they stood in front. "Although I would have prefered a different punishment for those scum, I assumed you would disapprove of me redoing your hard work." It wasn't a question, he had clearly considered it long and hard, I appreciated his restraint for many reasons.

"That's correct, I would not have approved you exposing yourself to murder my enemies." He shot me a look that clearly said it wasn't the reason he had resisted, but I had already guessed that.

Caius continued the conversation "You began your first case looking for your mother, but you never found her, that is what the agent from the police station meant when he had said you didn't close your first case."

I nodded in confirmation. While I had led the police to the traffickers, my mother had never been found nor any sign of her death, at the time that had been hoped to me, now I had accepted she was gone.

"We found her." My head snapped up to Marcus, but a single second to register the pain in his eyes and I felt the single leap of hope evaporate. Instead of saying what I now knew to be true he pulled a box from within his coat and placed it in my palm.

I took a second to examine it, blood-red velvet, a jewellery box no doubt. I opened it and gasped, tears sprang to my eyes as I recognised the ring inside, it had been my mothers. Not a wedding ring but a promise ring from my father. I had never known him beside a single sentence that was carved into the band of rock that was the ring, "Если бы мне пришлось прожить эту жизнь снова, я бы нашел тебя раньше." I whispered the words my mother had muttered to herself every night.

Caius sat down beside me as a tear fell from my eye, "What does it mean?"

"If I were to live my life again, I'd find you sooner. Despite my mother's young age, my father had had no time at all with her, living in poverty they had tried to make a life for themselves but the Soviet-Afgan war stole him away from her, she had to raise me on her own... but she said he would have loved me..."

I trailed off my mind caught in the memory of words feverishly repeated as she held me in her arms. "This ring was the only thing she was ever allowed to keep." The rock my father had fashioned the ring into was smooth on the inside and retained the authentic exterior, the inside bearing his inscription. My mother had never taken it off.

I looked up to see the sorrow on my mates face and a few more tears fell, I gave a bitter smile, "Thank you for finding her."

Aro gently pulled one of my palms into his own, "She did not suffer and Demetri has gone to search for your father's remains so you may put them to rest together if you wish."

I pulled him into a tight hug, "Thank you."

I felt more arms envelop me. I didn't cry anymore, I would save my tears for a rainy day, my mates had done what I couldn't they had put to rest a mystery of my past, a turning point for us all, I could finally let go of the self-hatred I believe I deserved for never finding my mother, and my mates could feel at ease knowing they had saved me from that tournament.

I pulled back and pushed the ring onto my ring finger, the same one my mother always wore it on. Caius pulled my hand up to examine it with a look of gentle observation, "It is a promise Amore, to keep you forever in _this_ life."

Aro nodded "And we would have waited Eternity if only to have you for a moment."

I extended my wrist to him "You have me for forever."

He took my arm gently and brought my flesh to his mouth, grazing his teeth. I felt a presence behind me and my mates pierced my flesh, their venom flowing from different parts of me all heading for my heart. It stung like one would imagine biting into someone might, but the true pain came a moment later.

I cried out and slowly felt my perception of everything fade in and out, the pain only grew until I could no longer hear, but the presence of my mates remained, I clung to that knowledge, keeping me as grounded as I could be in that moment. It was alright, they'd never let me fall.

\--IMMORTAL--

My transformation took 3 days as was normal, I recognised as the hours passed the pain wasn't consistent if it had been then maybe I could have adjusted but instead it came in waves, I would start to regain my senses and would think it nearly over but then another wave would come. The physical process of my cells perfecting, the venom infecting every single part of my being was excruciating, but when the pain lulled and faded away I was left with darkness.

"Open your eyes love." I heard Marcus request the same thing he often had of me and found myself unable to resist. I blinked open and nearly closed them again when all the changes to my scenery had registered.

I was unaware I had made any sound until Caius soothed me with his purring. Aro, knowing what had bothered me, gently reassured: "We have not moved, it's your room dearest, take a moment to adjust."

I did as he said and began to notice the changes I had seen weren't so much differences, but additions, I could almost zoom in to the very fabric of my silk sheets, the stone walls and the grout, it was strange to see so much from so far away.

I eagerly turned to look at my mate beside me but severely overestimated how much force I needed to turn and ended up spinning, trapping myself in the sheet with a startled sound.

Caius sniggered and Aro happily joined, thankfully Marcus took pity on me and untangled my stiff form from the fabric. I was now hesitating to move at all, I knew newborns were stronger than the average Vampire, I didn't want to hurt them.

Caius seemed to notice these and narrowed his eyes, quickly pulling me to sit on his lap with his back against the headboard, he purred familiar words to me, "Darling you don't have to hold back with us."

I shot him a doubtful look at this time it was Marcus who was amused, "Dearest you may have raw strength at this time-" He buried his face near the place he had bitten into my neck "-We have had thousands of years to learn and enhance ours."

I whined rolling into Caius, shooting Aro a pleading look. I didn't know what I wanted right now but Aro would know, he always knew.

Aro seized my lips and I melted against him, "Blood darling, you are thirsty." That made sense.

At the declaration Marcus disappeared, I found my eyes now able to track their fast movements, although Marcus was still very quick. He returned with a bag of blood and I tensed my eyes locking onto it.

"Shhh," He purred bringing it closer and with my body still atop of Caius he settled behind me. He ripped the top of the bag with his own teeth before holding it to my lips. I moved my hands to grab at his arm as he let the liquid pour down my throat, as though afraid he would pull it away.

I wouldn't have known it was blood if I hadn't have seen it's obvious colour, the taste was intoxicating and addicting, I need it, the blood was warm, Marcus had probably warmed it, making it run down my throat like I remembered hot chocolate feeling.

I whined as Marcus tried to pull the now empty bad away, desperately trying to get the remaining drops. Another bag was presented by Aro and I lunged forward desperately guzzling it down.

Aro cooed at me seemingly finding my insistence on holding their arms, an adorable act of possession. I didn't bother to let go of his hand as he lowered the empty plastic. Marcus took the rubbish while Caius turned me to face him, pulling me down to lick the blood that had dribbled from the corner of my mouth.

My mates remained with me for another week, showing me how to control myself both physically and against the pull of blood, Aro especially enjoyed the test of my will and I definitely didn't hate the games.

On the third day they had brought a live human for me to drink from, Aro had shown me through the mind link the horrors the man had committed and I felt no remorse at the thought of draining him.

Aro had placed the man tied to a chair far away from the bed, while I sat cross-legged in the middle. Marcus and Caius watched stretched out, enjoying the test of restraint. I had successfully kept myself from pouncing on the man, all the while I scented his blood through his skin.

After a few minutes of me remaining apparently unbothered, Aro had given a delighted grin and slid a knife along his shoulder, allowing a thin line of red to appear. I reared up as the smell intensified and found myself on my hands and knees leaning forward to try and get closer, but the minute I felt my hand reach off the bed I pulled back and resumed my original position.

"Good girl." Aro purred dangerously, a glint in his eyes the only warning before he drew the knife effortlessly across the man's throat. I found myself buried in the man's neck before I could register, the scent too overpowering to resist. Once I felt my senses regain I pulled back with an ashamed look, which Aro quickly wiped away. "None of that darling, you did well. Most newborns wouldn't have been able to rest for so long." He pulled my bloodied face against his own perfect lips, "We're very proud of you darling."

The rest of the days passed much the same, Caius focusing on showing me control of my strength and Marcus showing me poise and how to act human, necessary for if I wished to continue doing things like visiting the Orphics, and Alli. I was surrounded by love and affection, I was touched, they had taken so much time to teach me and I knew they would have spent far longer if I hadn't put my foot down insisting they still had a job to do.

So the first time my mates all left since I had transformed had my stumped. What to do? I decided to pull on some clothes and was going to head to the gardens to call Bella when my hand sunk into my satchel, hitting something hard.

Pulling it out I recognised the red leather, it was the other book Olly had found for me. Heading out to the gardens I sat in front of Diydime’s gave, I saw all the plants with a newfound appreciation for it in my Vampire vision, my eye landed on a familiar-looking Lizard… “Harold?”

The tiny demon only gazed unblinkingly right back at me apparently not getting I was a Vampire now and the stupid moving leaf should be terrified. I bared my teeth expecting him to scuttle away but he just stayed there. Unblinking. 

Slightly put out, I resolved to ignore it and pulled out the little book, beginning to read. Around the end of the first chapter I began to get fully engaged in the book, it wasn’t a recount or even a piece of history, rather it was a book describing the first law, the one woven into a Vampires very being, it spoke of mates. I absorbed the words with interest.

_A mating bond between Vampire and Vampire or Vampire and Human can only be broken in two ways._

I gazed out in thought. Two ways? Death obvious was one… but the other? I continued to read.

_With the destruction of one's mate the bond rots and decays slowly killing the other mate or driving them to madness._

_Should the equation be of a Human and a Vampire, if the Vampire were to die the Human could live on, albeit in grief. However, if the Human were to die the Vampire’s future would result purely on how strong the bond had been before the Human's death._

_If the mates had never met and the Human passes before their Vampire counterpart glimpses them, then the Vampire would remain living with a piece of them missing forever. If the mates have met before the death of the Human the bond is stronger and will cause the Vampire either pain and loss, or eventual death depending once again on its strength. The bond is most solidified between humans and vampires if they have made love…_

I remembered Athenodora and Sulpicia saying something similar to me, they had mentioned I could harm my mates more once we had intercourse… I had thought they meant if I had chosen to leave after that, not if I’d died.

_...However, the bond is never stronger than when both parties are Immortal and have joined in passion._

I wondered what our bond looked like to Marcus, I would have to ask Marcus to show me, It looked beautiful in my imagination. I flipped through the rest about how death destroys the bond and searched for the second reason mentioned.

_The only other way to sever the mating bond also serves to sever all other bonds. This results in any mates losing their mats scent, no other Vampire would smell the broken bonded mate upon them, cursing both parties._

_Only by reaching through a vampire's marble skin, pulling out their un-beating heart and crushing the organ, can the bonds be severed without death. It is the most horrific form of punishment, a desolate isolation of an individual, destroying all hope._

_The crushing of the heart severs the matting bond as though it has been cut, the pieces shoot back to the owner, severing the connection between mates. The one whose heart is destroyed has no hope of forming bonds without their mate bond being restored, which is an impossible feat. The partner of the bond is also cursed without their mate, if they have never met, they will never know that they were destined to be mates, their mating scent lost. If they have joined before, then the hollow feeling of not having a mate will stay as long as they continue to try fixing the bond._

My head fell back against the tree I was leading on and my eyes widened. _Bella_. Marcus said her bond was like that as if her mate had died, or at least as close as he had seen, what if instead, her mate had, had their bonds severed.

That sounded painful. Having your heart crushed in front of you. The book went on to talk about the physical hole in the Vampires chest that the action left. I couldn't imagine the sadism required to do that to another being. Truly disturbed at the thought of Bella going without the love I had been showered in, I made my way back to the library to search for more books on the mating bond. There had to be a way to fix it. I didn’t believe it was impossible.

I didn’t find anything by the end of the day but I didn’t give up yet, I would continue looking, for now, I resolved to call Bella and check in on her progress as well as tell her what I suspected.

“Hello Blue.”

“Hiya Bells, find anything?”

“Actually yes.” I perked up with interest “I’ve been slowly making my way across the farms volunteering, and I’ve followed the mountain range, I get to go explore after the day of work is finished so I usually spend a few hours around the mountains and yesterday I asked my host if there were any places that might be old castles or ruins, something like that. Guess what?”

“What?” I inquired excitedly.

“No ruins, but there's an underground cave system about 3 miles south of the farm I’m on right now. I’ve asked to stay on volunteering while I check it out. Could be something.”

I grinned “Definitely, also you might see some glow worms!”

“I don’t think they live in Europe.”

I brushed her off “Nah glow worms are actually stars, just really really small, promise.”

She snorted “You’ve been spending too much time with Olly.”

“Guilty. Although I should probably mention I’ve had my transformation, I’m a Vampire now.”

“Really? Did it hurt?”

I snorted “You could say that, but I’m good now and Bells, it’s indescribable, you would do it just to see the gardens, honestly, beautiful is an understatement.”

"I'm glad it's working for you. Are your mates being supportive?"

"Aww that's sweet, I'm sure they appreciate that you care, but yes, definitely... Speaking of mates I'd actually like to mention a theory I have to you."

"Shoot."

I paused unsure how to suggest what I'd found out "...I believe I might have found a reason for your 'lack of bond'."

She was quite before her voice sounded again, even though the tingy phone I could hear the pained hope in her voice and I instantly hated myself for bringing it up at all, "Really?"

"Hey no, I said might, I could very well be wrong and if I'm right then this could be worse than your mate being dead." I needed her to know the truth, not wanting to get her hopes up then drop my bomb on her.

She seemed to collect herself, "Worse? Okay, alright, what did you find."

I settled down on one of the chairs in the library and proceeded to tell her about the second way a bond could be severed, I would check with Marcus what Bella's bond looked like, but for now it was something to think on. "Well thank you Blue, I have to go now, give Olly my love."

"Will do Bells, stay safe in your exploring, I'll keep looking for answers on this end."

I hung up and got to work once again, I would continue searching until my mates came looking for me, thankfully sleep was no longer a hassle I had to partake in.

\--IMMORTAL--

“Wait a minute!” I turned to Marcus who I was leaning against as he read me poetry. “You’re really old!”

He chuckled “Thank you for that darling.”

I scoffed twisting to look at him “I mean, there are loads of mysteries and you’re also Italian…? Roman?… Greek?”

He smirked in repose which was infuriating.

“Okay so, you’re a really old Roman,” I decided, “Did the battle of Troy actually happen? Like Trojan horse and everything?”

He flashed over to his desk and picked up a quill holding it out to me “Would you like to learn calligraphy?”

“Yes!” I jumped up “-Hey! No. No. No. Don’t change the subject!”

He smirked pulling me in front of him and placing the quill in my hand using his own to guide my movements, “I would never darling.”

I whined, “Marcus. Were you in a city that may or may not have existed and were you attacked by greeks from inside a horse?”

He chuckled in my ear “Maybe I was in the horse darling?”

My eyes widened “You were Greek?”

I spent the rest of the day trying to pull the truth out of him, he seemed to find it incredibly amusing to throw in small hints they may have been jokes but he said them completely seriously. By the end of the day, I had adamantly refused to speak to him until he gave me a proper answer, which is what Caius walked into.

“Come on dearest, don’t make me call Caius my favourite.”

Caius raised an eyebrow as he entered the room, but I didn’t elaborate, still pouting out of the window. It wasn’t fair they were all really old together and had seen so much of the world without me, I wanted to know more about them.

Aro flashed into the room in time to see me jump onto the desk to avoid being pulled into a hug by Marcus. I was fast as a newborn but Marcus was faster, I hadn’t truly appreciated just how quick the eldest of my mates were when I had been Human.

Marcus caught me effortlessly and trapped me against the desk, I glared at him in response. “No.”

Aro gave Caius a questioning look which the blond replied to with a shrug.

Marcus nuzzled under my chin and I burst out laughing trying to swat him away “Stop it! It tickles!”

“Whatever is the matter dearest?” Aro inquired.

I spun within Marcus’s arms to look across the desk at my raven-haired mate. “Marcus will not give me an answer!”

Caius snorted “He rarely does. Ask us your question, we will answer.”

It was Marcus’s turn to pout, pulling me against him as though trying to make me forget the question. I ignored him, “Are you guys Greek or Roman?”

Aro spoke up “Marcus and Caius are Greek, I am Roman.”

I turned my head to trick out my tongue to Marcus, before asking my next question, “Were you guys in the battle for Troy? Was it an actual thing?”

Caius chuckled “I am afraid we are not quite that old Amore.”

I gave a gasp, “You’re not?”

I turned back to Marcus “So you just didn’t know-” I fake tutted “-Trying to hide your ignorance from me.”

He scoffed, lifting me onto the desk and pulling me into a kiss, “Ignorance.” He muttered the word clearly offended.

We were interrupted by two familiar Vampires entering the room. Athenodora surveyed the scene and settled on ignoring all of us in favour of giving Caius a winning smile.

I felt my mates tense, which made sense they probably assumed it was my first time seeing their ex-wives. Sulpicia opened her mouth to speak but I beat her to it, flashing in front of her and extending my hand in fake pleasantry that everyone could hear in my voice "Wonderful to meet you again Sulpicia-" I nodded towards the blond "Athenodora, truly a pleasure."

I wasn't an idiot I remembered very well that they had been the ones to tell me Aro would feel my pain if I allowed him to view my memories, it made me furious as that had been part of the reason I had made my mate suffer. I did not plan on forgiving them any time soon.

Caius's voice was guarded "You three have met before?"

Athenodora gave a sultry expression to him, "Yes at the ball, we managed to steal some of your mates attention that night." She was unable to mask the contempt as she hissed mate and I sensed Caius bare his teeth. Sulpicia and I defused the situation, Sulpicia placing a hand in warning of her sister and I moved to Caius letting him pull me against his chest with his chin resting on my head, no doubt a glare affixed to his face.

Sulpicia eased the air, "We were simply coming to welcome our latest Vampire to the coven, she addressed me directly. We are honoured to have another sister join our family." She bowed her head slightly and Athenodora followed the movement. I assessed them curiously, they definitely did not see me as a sister, not after all the trouble they'd gone to trying to make me leave, it was most likely because they had seen me as though I'd essentially stolen something from them.

Still, they were a part of my coven now, and as the Queens, it would be nice to learn from them, we could grow to become sisters. I nodded "Thank you, I look forward to learning from you, after all, you have years of knowledge under your belts." Acknowledging that they were currently better suited to their roles at this time seemed to be the right thing to say.

They nodded before leaving and I turned to my mates in question, "You'll teach me too right?"

Aro looked confused "What do you wish to learn?"

I frowned "How to, you know, help out? Rule with you guys... or do I not do that?"

Marcus made a noise of understanding, "Of course you will join us as our Queen Amore, and we will help you learn our laws, I think you will find yourself catching on very fast."

Aro nodded agreeing, and apparently understanding now. Caius raised his own question "Why would you need to learn anything from those women?"

I scoffed "Caius, they were your wives-" He grumbled into my hair "-And the Queens, obviously they would be a smart-"

Marcus interrupted me with firmness "They were not."

"They weren't the Queens?" Now I was confused.

Aro gave an amused chuckle "Did you truly believe so? Sure they had a lot of say due to being our wives, but they were never our mate, not like Caius and Marcus were my mates."

"Oh."

Caius nipped at the top of my ear "Oh indeed, We are the Kings, and you are the Queen. There never has nor ever will be any others."

_Oh_.

  
  
  


"Olly's a prince though right?" I got a rumble of agreement in response. 

  
  


\--IMMORTAL--

Once the ex-wives had removed themselves from their presence, Aro gave Caius and Marcus a significant look, his voice ringing through their minds.

_I never saw Blue interact with Sulpicia or Athenodora._

Marcus frowned visibly. _That is concerning, we will have to keep a close eye on them, lest they attempt to bridge a gap between us._

Caius simply nodded in agreement pulling their newest companion further into his embrace. It would take far more than two jealous females to destroy the bond he had with his loved ones.

\--IMMORTAL--

The problems began when I turned my phone back on, having had it off during my transformation and explaining to Alli and the Orphics that I had business to deal with for a few days, I had expected a few voicemails from Alli talking about any leads she's found or had not yet the 57 missed calls cause panic to seize me.

Upon listening to the first one the fear only grew.

"Hey Blue I know you said you were busy, but we have a problem. The hospital was being less than hospitable last time you were here, but I just found out they want to take the kids off their medication and remove all staff help. It's going to kill them, they can't move let alone get to the toilet by themselves! Slyvia's disobeyed them and is still helping but if they push it she could get fired and then no one would be helping them. I'm going to the station tomorrow hopefully the police can stop it."

I drew in a deep breath to calm myself, that had been the first voice mail, if there were 56 others then I doubted the police had been able to fix the problem. Deciding just to ring her and get the facts as they were now, I anxiously waited for her to pick up.

"Blue thank god."

"Are they okay?"

"For now, I obtained a blanket temporary guardianship over them, which stopped the hospital from terminating their treatment, however as they are still using Hospital facilities and show no signs of recovery the Hospital has organised to move them to a hospice."

"Hospices are where people go to die! They aren't dying!"

"I know Blue, but I don't think I can do anything to stop it, my Senior Agent has me running ragged, I don't have any time at all to look into alternatives, and Sylvia doesn't know the law like us..."

She trailed off and I felt guilt hit me, "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. For now, tell me everything."

"Technically speaking before I got guardianship, they were all lame patients without recovery, but being in charge of their own medical choices, their own guardians, they couldn't force the hospital to provide for them-"

"-So the guardianship means you can get the court to order the hospital to keep helping those under your care." I finished in understanding.

"Exactly, the problem now is, it's only temporary, the moment it runs out, which being as it was for 6 weeks, gives as a month tops, then we're back to the same problem but presumably they will be in a hospice by then. Despite what the hospital seems to think hospices don't have an infinity room, they are a place where people go to die, not stay permanently."

I tried organising the main problems in my head "Space is the main thing then? They need somewhere to go that won't kick them out?"

"And caregivers," She agreed, "Sylvia's said she is appalled by the Hospital's behaviour and if our search leads to employment to continue looking after the Orphics then she wants in."

I doubted she'd used those words exactly, but was thankful the elder woman was willing to stick by the people she'd saved. "I have an idea, but I need to talk to my partners about it first."

Alli let out a laugh over the phone "You aren't going to ask them to take everyone in are you?"

I paused momentarily, that was exactly what I'd planned to do. There was no doubt an abundance of room at the castle, we could keep them there until they were well enough to choose if they wanted to become immortal. "Why would you think that?" I asked curious how she'd guessed.

"Come on Blue, Marcus drove me to the Purple Medallion in a pristine suit and a car clearly as expensive as a house, not to mention the other two look as rick as the hot-damn looks they give you."

I felt a heat fill my cheeks reminiscence of a blush "Uh-no they do not give me 'hot-damn' looks." I spluttered. A responding snort was all the answer she gave to that. "Anyway! We have a lot of room in the... inherited house they own, I will be asking if we can take in the Orphics, yes you are correct." A cheer went up and I imagined her pumping the air, "Haha, very good, I'm hanging up now."

"Catch you 'round Blue, I'll call you tomorrow, I think I might have a lead on the Orphic's case, I'm keeping it from the boss though, 'till I can be sure."

I paused, all mirth forgotten, Alli was chasing a Vampire, if she'd gotten a lead then she might be in danger. Unable to say anything to convince her not to follow the lead without raising suspicion, my voice tightened "Yeah Call me as soon as you can, I don't care what time it is, this guy's a sicko Alli, be careful."

"Roger, Roger, loud and clear." She hung up and I took a moment to collect my thoughts before running to my mates.

I crashed into the doors like a proper idiot, not quite used to my own speed yet. I grabbed my noise hissing as a crack formed. "Motherfucker!"

Laughter came from inside, and a closer chuckle had me spinning to see Demetri's amused expression. "You're easier to catch as a human." He commented.

The doors were pulled open revealing Aro who gave a slight bow indicating I could enter, "Bye Demi!"

I sauntered into the room ignoring Demetri's scowl at the nickname and Caius's snide comment. "You're supposed to open the doors before walking through." I only stuck out my tongue in response choosing to grab Aro's hand as he escorted me to sit on his throne.

"Ah, you wish to make our home open to more humans?"

My other mates paid closer attention. I nodded "Until they are ready to be turned, the hospital's kicking them out." I spoke for Caius and Marcus benefit, Aro already knowing the details.

Caius scowled "Is it not the Hospital's job to care for humans, why would they abandon those who have suffered?"

I glared at the ground "Apparently a hospital is a place for people to heal, as they are not healing the Hospital doesn't want them."

Marcus looked troubled by that but gave a nod "I see no problem with them coming here, but perhaps contain them to the East wing, our guard already knows to stay away as Olly and yourself when you were human resided there."

That was a smart idea actually. Olly would probably like the company, I could see him getting on with the new friends I'd made and no doubt the Orphics would enjoy his exuberant energy. I jumped up my once annoyance and fear replaced with excitement. "Thank's Marcus, that's a great idea! I turned to Aro and Caius, "Unless you object?"

Aro shook his head gently taking me hands, and apparently finding what he was looking for responded, " I have no opposition to this decision, you brother?"

Caius, apparently unable to keep his hands off me, nuzzled into my neck, "None. It's our Queen's first project."

"I like that. So this is me doing something Vampire Queen-y?"

Aro grinned, "Indeed."

\--IMMORTAL--

I pushed open the door to the familiar room, getting several heads swivelled in my direction in response. "Hello, my darling Orphics."

Blossom gave me an angry look "Where have you been?"

"Busy making accommodations for my favourite people to travel to Italy." This seemed to give her and everyone else pause. 

Ewan gave a deep chuckle breaking the tense air, "Italy my dear?"

I stepped to the side in response revealing my mates behind me, they stood in the doorway looking as impeccable as ever, Caius had his guarded expression of contempt, Marcus was back to looking uninterested and Aro was grinning in his ever creepy expression.

I wasn't too worried about my mates' guardedness with my friends, they'd come around I was sure of it. For now, I introduced them. "Everyone this is Marcus, Caius and Aro, my partners and they had graciously agreed to let you guys come stay with me in Italy. That is if you would prefer that to a Hospice?"

I allowed the question to be heard in my voice because no matter how much I knew staying with us would be better for them, these people had, had enough of decisions made for them, they would have to make this choice on their own.

Janis broke it, as the unofficial leader slash diplomat of the group. "I'd love to go, thank you for the offer Blue-" She nodded at my mates "Marcus, Aro and Caius."

The youngsters, Dusk, Dawn and Misham dissolved all remaining tension. Dawn summoned Marcus with an excited wave of her hand, apparently eager to show off her handwriting that she had been practising. Marcus went without complaint, sitting beside her to examine the lettering.

Misham tugged me down to his level and began to recount what I had missed, with Daniella beside him piping in every now and again. I saw Caius being scolded by Dusk for being grumpy, apparently, that was forbidden in their room, it resulted in a raised eyebrow from the blond and a look I could only call a cross between amused and baffled by the audacity of the boy. Aro drifted over to Soraya and Esmeralda indulging their, not-so-subtle looks they kept giving his long hair.

I was sorry I'd been away from the Orphics for so long, I had missed them terribly and did feel guilty for the abandonment I'd heard in Blossom's accusation, I understood, being unable to move or defend yourself and being put in a position where it was likely you'd end up on the streets... I chose not to continue with that train of thought and pulling away from my conversation with the siblings I announced it was time to start moving. "Alright kiddos, who's ready to jump this joint?"

Ewan gave an amused sound "I can't say I know what that means but I trust your decision, my dear." Aro cocked his head observing the eldest of the Orphics.

I gestured to the door "Away?"

Ferdinand rocked in his bed, as close as he could come to bouncing "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"

I chuckled and bent down beside Daniella's bed, peeling back the sheet and sliding my arm under her spindly legs and the other supporting her back I gently pulled her bridal style into my arms, "Are you in any pain?" She shook her head, all the confirmation I needed I gave a nod to my mates and turned to take my passenger to the car waiting outside.

We had to move them all individually and Marcus and Caius had to carry Ewan and Alder, otherwise, it would definitely look suspicious. We got it done fairly quickly, and we sent the cars off to the plane, while my mates packed all of their stuff into another car, I headed to go see Sylvia.

"Oh hello dear, are you taking them now?"

I pulled her into an embrace, bags under her eyes showed how long and hard she had been working to care for them. "Yes, and Alli mentioned you're looking for a job to care for them?"

"If that is possible, I would very much like too."

I nodded, hesitating a little "Even if it's in Italy?"

She gave a sound of surprise "Italy, goodness that's a little fancy."

I let out a genuine laugh, "It's a country Sylvia, I don't think you could class all of it as fancy."

"I would very much like to take you up on that offer, I'll just need to hand in my resignation and in another two weeks I'll make my way over there."

I gave her a pat on the shoulder "Call me when you want to come over, the job pays for your flight." Truthfully I'd actually managed to get some funds from the Italian government as we were technically acting as a temporary care ward, so it was a proper job for Sylvia, but I'd lied about the trip bit, she did enough without having to worry about flight costs.

She gave me an indulgent look, "Alright dear, I'll see you soon." Her eyes flicked behind me and I knew my mates were there waiting.

I turned to them and pushed open the door, letting them walkthrough. "Thank you, darling," Marcus muttered. I chuckled before taking his hand in mine to swing as we made it to Aro's car he apparently kept in America.

Due to border security, I'd had to obtain passports for all the Orphics, but given they didn't actually 'exist' I had to first get them birth certificates and citizenships, which I had verified through their medical files.

It had been a tiring process and had taken me far longer than I had thought it would but paperwork was my forte, so I pushed through. Sylvia had been a good help updating me on the Orphics, but I'd not had a lot of time to video chat with them over the past few weeks. I should have told them what I was doing, but it had slipped my mind that they didn't actually know, which resulted in me making them feel unwanted, I hated that and resolved to fix it as soon as I could.

Reaching the private plane, I hopped out the car and bounded over to the others that were waiting. Once again moving them from the cars into seats on the plane. Thanks to it being Aro's plane the seats were actually open-plan bolted down couches with armrest able to be pulled out as dividers, this way we could all see and talk to one another.

Everyone was relatively quiet boarding the plane but I put it down to most likely the quick changes they were all having to adjust to so abruptly. Aldar broke it first "I've never been flying." A few sounds of agreement echoed through the room and I chuckled finishing strapping in Ewan who gave a slow pat to my hand in thanks.

"You might like it, you might hate it. Scares most people." I really didn't have much of a filter, probably should not have said that, but I took after my mother in my blunt honesty.

Marcus slid an arm around my waist, "What Blue means to say, is that you are all perfectly safe and we will arrive in 5 hours, so try to relax."

I nodded "Yep that." placing their passports in their laps.

Ferdinand flicked it, "What's this?"

"Oh, right it's your passports, security should be here soon to check them all, but don't worry I have it all sorted your new birth certificates are in my bag too."

Dusk gave me a puzzled look "What's those things?"

I glanced at a few of the confused looks being thrown my way and turned to Ewan for help. _How do you explain a birth certificate?_

"Passports tell other people who you are so they can make sure you are allowed to travel to another country," He provided "Everyone has a birth certificate when they are born, it has your name, where you were born and who your parents are, you need it to get a passport to prove it's you."

Daniella shot me a confused look "How did you find ours?"

"I didn't. Well not for all of you, those I had, Ewan and Soraya I managed to track yours down, but that's because you had been into the hospital before so they had you on record, then I just officially changed your names. Everyone else I used your medical records and made you new, legal, might I add, Identities."

Blossom shot me a grateful look, "Thank you." I nodded back at her. Hearing the sound of another distant heartbeat and knew that security would be here soon. 

Her brother piped up "So you made us birth certificates and passports. What did you put as our last names?"

I glanced over to my mates a little nervous, I hadn't told them but I had also done some legal editing to my own name. "Same as mine," I announced "...Volturi."

I saw their heads shot up and I gave nervous smile, receiving a blinding one from Aro in return and heated looks from the others.

"Volturi?" Daniella seemed to mull it over before giving me a definitive nod, "I like it. Daniella Volturi."

Just then the guard arrived, she was very good, taking the passports looking them over and making sure everything was in order before checking ours and departing as quickly as she'd come.

Caius pulled me down beside him nuzzling my neck, which I mentally flushed at, we had an audience. Although the distant chatter I heard from them proved they were feeling more at ease. "Blue Volturi." Aro purred, "Does this make you our wife now?"

"Well, you did give me a ring."

Marcus chuckled, "We are touched you would give up a part of your identity for us."

"No." I corrected him "Adapted, I've given up nothing, I think you'll find I prefer my family's name to a movie I enjoy."

He gave my hand an apologetic kiss, "My mistake love."

I leant across to give him a proper kiss "Since I'm your wife now, does that mean I get a fancy throne?"

Caius ran a hand through my hair as Aro responded with a devilish smirk "As Queen, your coordination will come and with it your throne." I sunk back into my blond mate pondering what Aro had said, I didn't actually think I was getting a Throne, I couldn't really imagine how that would work, after all, at the moment it was structured in a tier formation, it would look odd in the throne room with another one making it uneven.

"What would it even look like" I questioned out loud, I remember having a similar thought on my first week with them, that felt like so long ago now. Marcus had strings like the bond lines he saw, Caius had the skin of wolves he had slain and Aro had eyes showing his appreciation of knowledge...

"Whatever you wish it to look like my dear." Marcus played with my fingers as he spoke. _Something to think on._

  
  
  
  



	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to another episode starring Blue Holmes and Bella Indiana Jones.

* * *

Bella gasped as her foot slipped and rock gave way underneath her, she clung to the wall of the cave with her fingers and breathed in deeply. Carefully finding another hold she relaxed her fingers to keep the blood moving, "Alright, you're fine." She muttered to herself.

She's finished her volunteering for the month and as such, she had two days to explore the caves that she'd been slowly mapping every day after work. It had been around a month since she'd found them, but she hadn't gone very far inside, mostly because the mouth of the caves opened like a ravine that curved under the mountain base, if she wanted to look properly she would most likely need to be down there for a few days, so she'd saved the proper exploring until her break.

It was a difficult climb down but as it was not a vertical slope she was able to do it, she was definitely thankful for the times she'd been rock climbing with her mother as a kid, guess she had her mum's adventurous spirit after all.

It took a good 2 hours of descending backwards into the darkness until she found the floor of the cave. It was smooth and the last stretch of rock face she had struggled to find holds due to the change from rough textured stone to smooth rock. Water, her mind supplied. Bella sincerely hoped the water wouldn't come back any time soon, she didn't really have a quick way out of there.

With that in mind, she set on exploring around the edges with her torch trying to find escape routes should nature turn on her. She found a few passages that looked naturally made through the rock, they led to other rooms which she hadn't explored yet, going back to the one she had entered into. She shone the light out into the darkness, slowly moving it across the room.

The light bounced off the rock in a few places but otherwise, the main cave was completely empty. She went through the forest passage, her hand dragging across the rock as she went. Bella loved nature, usually preferring forests and gardens, but the volunteering on the farms had made a new appreciation for all parts of it.

Bella paused to move the light to the wall, a centipede scuttled along and she watched it with interest, she would definitely find more species of insects before her exploration was done.

Bella came to the end of the tunnel and flicked the light revealing a cavern far bigger than the one from the entrance. Her light bounced on water, a lake took up the majority of the room stalactite and stalagmite formed over and under the water. Moving forward in awe at its beauty Bella quickly shone the light at her feet, looking to see where the water began. Luckily she did, only a few paces from the passage the rock dropped and water sat a few centimetres down.

Crouching so as not to lose her balance, she edged closer and peered into the water. It was not very helpful. The lack of light made the water appear almost inky black. Moving the touch closer she was able to see quite far into the dark water, due to how clear it was she noticed a few hidden stalagmites but she couldn't see the bottom, it was far too deep. A rush shuddered through her and she rubbed her shoulders, Bella was a good swimmer but not only did the water look freezing but it was also so still, it sang of death. She didn't fancy falling in there.

Hoping to find some old castle ruins that had fallen buried below the surface, Bella straightened and once again swept the room with the light and found her next path. She opened her bag and replaced her torch with one she could strap to her chest, clipping it on. She took a moment to eat a muesli bar before shoving everything else in the backpack that Felix and Demetri had gotten for her.

She carefully edged with her front to the wall along the rim of the pool. A few loose stones fell under her feet and placed in the pond a sound which echoed through the cavern. Because she was facing the wall Bella was limited in her sight and was relying on feel and her memory to make it to the first stalagmite that broke the water. Above it was an equally big stalactite, surrounding the one coming from the ground were several mounds that also broke the water, being careful to keep her head low not to knock into one of the sharper ones from the ceiling, Bella reached out and made the small step onto the mounds.

There was a moment her heart leapt into her throat and her foot slid on the damp limestone but her hands caught her and she gripped tight to the stalagmite. Sucking a breath in through her teeth Bella let her laugh of relief echo on the walls. The sound of her own laughter caused her to shake her head with a chuckle. She edged further around the stalagmite ever mindful of the icicles of stone hanging from the cave ceiling. The actual roof of the cave was very high up and seeing as the stalagmites formed from their corresponding ones Bella knew it was a testament to how deep the water went.

She continued on her path making her way further from the edge of the cave and closer to the centre where the rock resembled that of some deep-sea creatures with needle-sharp teeth, an angelfish came to mind. Bella mentally cursed Olly for making her watch that documentary, the image making her fear heighten.

It must have been an hour of carefully navigating the cave and avoiding the water. It reminded Bella of the time she had gone with Blue and jumped from rock to rock by the waterfall in Forks, the memory made her smile. She was lucky to have Blue, her father definitely thought so and Bella agreed, Blue had definitely changed the course of her life, she used to view her life as before Edward and after Edward, now she saw it differently. 

She saw her childhood between her parents, learning adventure from her mother and stability from her father. She saw her teenage years of high-school and her mother's restlessness, she saw the end of high-school and her father's worried expression when she had slid rapidly into depression. She saw Blue and Olly, and she hadn't realised it before, but she no longer viewed her introduction to Edward as the beginning of her involvement in the supernatural, when she though Vampires it wasn't the Cullens who sprang to mind, but the casual way Demetri had constantly popped up beside her, enjoying as she jumped every time. The way Caius had stood silently beside her the night before the ball when she had found herself in front of the door leading to the East Wing, where Edward had been.

She had been frightened at first, the blond king was definitely terrifying and he had said nothing at the time only giving her a knowing look. Tears had fallen down her eyes. That night was the night Blue had told her she had been Dazzled by Edward, the knowledge had been like ripping a bandaid off. Bella couldn't decide if she had been thankful it had all been a lie or not, but as the King stood by her side staring stoically at the door Bella understood. Edward was merely a child who didn't understand the square couldn't fit into the circle hole and had tried to force it in by shaving the sides, she wasn't going to give him the knife.

Turning on her heels she hadn't tried to hide the tears, it was likely the King before he thought very little of her anyways. He didn't mention them or anything at all, but simply turned to lead her outside into the gardens. She sat on one of the benches and he sat beside her, she had felt awkward, "You don't have to stay with me out of pity you know." A little bit of bitterness had made itself present in her voice.

He scoffed "I do not _have_ to do anything, especially out of pity." She had fallen silent after that and turned her face to mimic his, watching the moon. The thing Bella remembered most about that night was how never once did Caius attempt to pretty her heartbreak with hope for a brighter future. She had appreciated that.

Felix and Demetri had been her most constant companions in her week at Volterra, and despite only staying a week it felt like it had been as big a timespan as all the years she had spent in school. Felix liked to be entirely inappropriate, but in a way that he could hide far easier than Demetri, while Demetri had a constant air of mischief around him Felix could turn into a dad at a moments notice, often referring to the witch twins as 'the Kids', but Demetri had assured her he would never dare do such a thing to their faces.

The two had been as close to siblings as Bella had ever had, and despite loving the adventuring she'd had the last few months, she was surprised to admit, she missed them. She missed Olly too, and the times he would wake her just to bring her outside and look at the stars, at first she had been confused why he never woke Blue, but she soon figured it out, the 8-year-old was trying to make sure Blue slept during the very few moments she allowed it. It was sweet and Bella began to see there was a little more to every person than they presented. Before she had been rather guarded and hadn't recognised things about herself, let alone others.

She had encountered Blue's other mates as well. Aro had appeared in the hall one day to hand her a book with only a single sentence of explanation, "It is about Vampires and their powers." before he brought his hands to his chin in delight, eagerly awaiting some kind of response. Bella had given him a nervous smile and thanked the Vampire who had taken it as a dismissal and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

She had read the book and was surprisingly drawn into it. Aro had most likely given it to her, as a not-so-subtle way of letting her know about her gifts and by extension who she was. It had surprised her to learn that Vampires gifts are actually enhancements of characteristics from their human lives, Aro had been a curious soul from the beginning and as such now he could learn all about someone with a single touch, Marcus had a strong intuition about people often noticing the connections other didn't, leading to him being able to actually see the bonds between people.

...And Bella, she retreated into herself, every time she was afraid she would shove up walls and push people away, she had realized when reading the text that she guarded herself so intensely that even as a human she could thwart Aro's powers. It had been eye-opening for her and had been the key moment she decided to leave school, she needed to let go of the walls she so tightly built up and figured the only way she could do that was separating herself from everything and getting in touch with the one thing that always calmed her, nature.

Marcus found her in front of Didyme's grave on one of the days and had begun to tell her of the friend he had lost. Bella had fallen in love with the woman just from hearing Marcus talk about her, her gift was most fascinating, the ability to make people feel happiness. She must have been a person people loved to be around if that is what her personality had manifested into when she was immortalised.

Bella was eternally grateful to the people than in the space of a week, a little more if she considered when Olly and Blue had entered her life, but in such a short time they had helped her grow and since then, she had felt herself gain confidence in liking the person she was. She was able to wake up in the morning and not think about how she should act or what she should do because she felt content enough just being herself. It was liberating knowing that she had learned to love herself, something Edward never could have done.

She'd made it to the thicket of stalagmites and stalactites by the time her mind had finished reminiscing and she settled on a moderately smooth rock to eat the sandwich she'd made for herself, all the while gazing out at the water.

It was lighter than she remembered as if she could see more. The walls were tinged red and she paused her chewing, her eyes trying to find the light source only to land on a gap arching up and opening to the sky, she hadn't noticed it before due to the angle and before it had just been dark, but now peering into the cavern was a blood-red moon. Bella felt a smile spread across her face, looking back down to the cave showed the red bouncing all around she turned off her light and grinned, it was beautiful.

She looked down to take another bite when she was blinded by a flash of light, moving her head slightly to the side to see where it had come from. She squinted before letting out a gasp of shock, beneath her feet looked like... a chain?

Turning her light back on and pulling out the torch she knelt on the edge of the limestone reaching down for the beginning of the chain she saw. She shivered as her hand dipped beneath the water and she felt her hand close around the rusted metal, yanking it only brought more chain up, but it appeared to be attached around one of the stalagmites making up the temporary island-like place she was on.

Sitting back Bella pulled the chain up onto the limestone beside her and continued to do so until she came to a stop, the chain still dipped beneath the surface and she couldn't see where it went, sighing she relaxed her hold on it and the chain went sliding back into the water. The sound of the metal dragging on the stone echoed loudly in the room and this time a more ominous feel accompanied it. Bella wished she hadn't done that. What she had just found began to register in her mind and she looked in horror to the metal she knew was just over the edge. She had found a chain. One that was connected to something on the other end, but why? It couldn't be an anchor, a ship could never get into there. Why was it connected to something? Was it to pull something up? Or keep something confined? Her mind drew an image of a creature crossed between a rabid dog and a shark.

She scrambled back from the edge and closed her eyes, trying to calm her heart. "Don't be stupid, if it was a creature it wouldn't have stayed stuck when I pulled on it." She tried to reason with herself. But no matter what she said she couldn't help the same question ringing in her mind. "Why was there a chain in an uninhabited underground cave?" A cave she was exploring in the hopes of finding answers on a missing person.

Deciding not to think about the chain any longer, Bella edged away, keeping her head low and ducking in and out of the stalactites until she found a place she was sure was safe from water rising, not that she thought that would happen with how still it was. All the while she kept the location of the chain firmly in her mind.

\--IMMORTAL--

The next morning Bella woke to drips landing just below her eye. Blinking them open, she stretched carefully and pulled out another muesli bar to eat, needing the nutrients for the day ahead. She planned to learn more about the chain today. Her night of sleep had given her some confidence, she had come down here looking for clues, and clues came in the form of something out of the ordinary, something that caught your attention, and that chain definitely ticked that box.

Putting on her 'think like Blue' hat she made her way to where she remembered seeing her clue last night. She wasn't actually 100 per cent sure it was day, there was some light coming from the opening above but it was a slim gap so she had no way of knowing what time it was. Not that it mattered.

She made it to the edge of the limestone and knelt once more, letting her hand drag back and forth in the water. The temperature hasn't changed but she was beginning to think the only way she would know what was down there was by going to look. Grabbing the chain once more she pulled it until it snagged and she pulled harder, trying to see if she could move whatever was down there.

It was futile and she dropped it, the chain sliding back once more. What to do now?

There was no way to tell how deep the object was, it could be on the very bottom of the cave floor or it could be in another pocket within the cave pool, after all, didn't people get lost in underground cave waters all the time? There was also another problem, the stalagmites certainly didn't all reach the surface, if she tried to swim horizontally she'd definitely get pierced by one or smack into it, if she went down vertically, which would be how she had to go, she would have to use one as a guide not to get hit by any others, and she would have to constantly be looking down to see if another had formed lower down. She didn't fancy ending up like a kebab.

Deciding to try to adjust to the temperature she pulled off her shoes and socks and then stripped off her water pants, so she was left in shorts. She slid her legs into the water sucking in a sharp breath at the temperature, she swung her legs in the water trying to warm them up. "Cold, cold, cold."

She stayed there for a while trying to figure out how to follow the chain down without dying of hypothermia or whatever parasites might linger in the water. Upon finding no solution she turned to reach her bag and brought out her emergency blanket and some dry clothes as well as a microfiber towel, which she packed on top of her bag and put a little further from the edge.

Gripping the torch and checking the one on her chest was on, she took a deep breath and let gravity slide her forward, like the chain from before she fell into the dark waters. She shot up immediately, the cold stealing her breath, she heaved in. There was a moment where she panicked away from the island and with nothing to hold onto she desperately searched until her fingers closed around rusted metal.

Choking in a breath she ducked back under the water and with one hand holding the torch and another the chain she tried to force her body to follow it's descent. Unfortunately, her human skin made her buoyant and resisted going down.

Coming back up for air after struggling she came up with a new plan. Still, at the surface she threw the torch onto the island and used both hands to pull the chain until it no longer had any slack, the rest of it sunk in the water but Bella drew in a much calmer breath and used the chain to pull her down, being more careful to watch for stalagmite with only the light of her chest showing her path.

She made it further that time and the chest light had shown her a few of the pointed rocks, viewing them underwater as the pulled herself past, had made her imagine herself in the prehistoric times, with dinosaurs and forest as high as mountains. The moment ended when her lungs screamed at her and she had to return to the surface.

Breaking for air again she knew she had to stop, the cold had made her teeth chatter to the extent it was difficult to keep her lips closed. She swam to the edge and pulled herself up on the stone, her arms felt like jelly and she was grateful she'd had the foresight to pull the towel out before going in.

She stripped off all her wet clothing and pulled on the new stuff, unfortunately, Bella doubted that her wet clothes would dry in the dark cave, she only had the ones she was wearing now, she wouldn't be able to go down again unless she left immediately after.

Sighing she pulled out some more food to eat, wrapping herself in the emergency blanket trying to rid the shaking from her hands. Some unexplained feeling had seized a hold of Bella, once she got over the fear that came with finding the chain, she had felt a curiosity border-lining a need, to get to the end of it, the feeling worried her, she could very well die of the cold, she was human. She couldn't go back down again, it was too dangerous.

Decision made she packed everything up, besides her wet clothes and began to explore more of the cave, there might be other suspicious things in the area. Hours into her search the back of Bella's neck began to prickle, she knew that feeling, when she had woken to see Edward in her room, then disappear again, that had been the feeling. 

She was being watched.

\--IMMORTAL--

Unfortunately, as soon as we had all settled back into the castle the Kings had been summoned to deal with a Vampire issue, they had asked me to join, but I declined instead planning on calling Alli, she’d only called me once since she had found her lead and it was only to confirm she was onto something, I wanted to make sure she was still safe.

_Ring Ring_

_Ring Ring_

_Ring Ring_

I was starting to freak out, Alli hadn't picked up and the last time we'd spoken was a little over two weeks ago. Leaving another voice message I paced my room.

_Alli if this is revenge for me not picking up your calls last time, it’s mean. Please let me know you’re okay, I’m very worried about you._

It certainly didn’t help matters Bella had also stopped answering my calls, my mates had placated me saying it was likely her phone had simply run out, but it had been nearly two days now and I was beginning to get an all-around bad feeling.

Pacing a few more times before accepting the conclusion I had come to a while ago. I was going to have to speak with Agent Dacian, he was Alli’s superior officer and the one partnered to her on this case, unfortunately, as I didn’t have his number I would have to go and see him, which was actually better considering it would be easier to retrace Alli’s steps in America.

I walked to the throne room, nodding at Heidi as I went, she had offered to look after the Orphic’s needs until Sylvia and the other staff arrived.

I pushed the doors open with my hands, rather than my face this time, and stayed quietly beside the entrance waiting for the meeting to finish.

“Thank you, Benjamin, that is most concerning. We appreciate you coming forward with this knowledge.” Aro dismissed the familiar Vampire, who bowed to them and proceeded to pivot and do the same to me before leaving the room. I shot him a smile, he was truly a beautiful soul.

“Problem?” I inquired at their serious looks.

Caius grunted “Amun has decided that now would be a good time for him to rise against our rule. He has been creating an army of gifted Vampires he has procured over the years.”

Aro nodded to the door “Our dearest Benjamin refused to go against us and has reported his sire's plans. I am afraid they need to be dealt with immediately.”

“I understand, but I have to go to America, Alli’s gone missing, and I’m worried about the Vampire she was hunting.”

Marcus pursed his lips, “Take Demetri, I do not like the sound of that.”

“Actually I want Demetri to go to Romania, Bella hasn’t responded and I’m worried about her also. Demetri couldn’t track the Vampire. I doubt with their gifts he could track Alli, I’ll have to find her the human way.”

He conceded “Very well, Alec will go with you.”

I understood their want for my safety but I was now concerned about them “Shouldn’t you take Alec, you are going to face an army after all.” I couldn’t help the fear leaking into my words, maybe I should stay and fight with my mates, but an image of Alli hooked up to an IV ran through my head and I knew I couldn’t leave her.

Aro soothed me gently pulling my hand into his own, “Fear not dearest, we will have the guard with us, Felix, Heidi and a few others will remain here to guard the castle, we will take everyone else with us, besides Demetri and Alec.”

I was still concerned, Alec was probably their most offensive weapon, he could affect multiple Vampires at once and would be more useful against an army.

Caius chuckled “Do not worry for us Carissima, you are far more important-” I let him have a full view of my scowl at that. We were as equally as important as each other.

Marcus interjected, “Caius means you will be alone so if it comes to protecting yourself or Alli, you may not be able to do both, therefore Alec will make the difference.”

I conceded “Alright, but you’d better call me the second you guys are safe. I mean it!”

Aro hummed bringing me into an embrace “Very well, but if you do not answer we will assume the worst.”

I knew they would, just as I currently was assuming the worst with my closest friends. Alli and Bella. _It couldn’t be a coincidence._

\--IMMORTAL--

I sent Demetri off with a kiss to his cheek, “Please be careful,” 

He chuckled finding my worry amusing, “Mi Regina, you need not concern yourself, I will find dear Bella and bring her back to you.” 

“And be safe while you are at it,” I added despite knowing they were all hundred-year-old Vampires I still felt fear for my family.

Jane scoffed, “He will be fine.” She softened as my anxious look didn’t fade, “We all will.”

Alec nodded, giving his sisters a squeeze before releasing it to stand by my side, “Don’t have too much fun without me sister.”

She smirked, “Or you.”

A petulant voice had us looking at the mop of brown hair who had made sure to make his protests known, “I want to come, Jane!” It was amusing to watch the stoic girl absolutely falter under the demands of her mate, she shot a pleading look to her twin who didn’t do much better as Olly rounded on him. “You’re not fighting an army, I can come with you.”

“No, it would be terribly boring, as you said we aren't fighting anyone…” Alec trailed off under Olly's attempts to glare, he seemed to shake his lip eerily reminiscent of being about to cry.

It was my turn to scoff and I scooped him up breaking the act as he let out a yell “Hey!”

“Hey yourself, you little monster, stop guilt-tripping your mates, we’ll be back before you know it, besides the Orphic’s need company, Daniella’s asking after you.” He seemed to perk up at that and resting his elbow on my back, I carried him to the East wing, Jane and Alec trailing behind while Olly waved stupidly at them the whole way.

I deposited him in the room, “Ewan, you’re a darl, please inform Heidi if anyone needs anything. I pressed a phone into his palm. It already had Heidi’s number and my own programmed in. He technically only needed to call out and she would hear, but as they didn’t know we were Vampires yet a phone covered that problem.

“That's Wonderful dear, do be careful.” I gave him the side-eye, curious how he knew what I was doing but let it go.

“Alright guys, I’m heading out back to America, Alli’s gone missing, so Detective Ad-Volturi, is going to work.” A few noises of distress could be heard and Olly quickly jumped onto Ferdinand's bed to distract them. “Don’t worry, I’ll find her.”

Concern came from Jadis “She was working on finding the man who took us wasn’t she?”

I winced “Yes.”

Esmeralda whimpered and Dusk threw the sheet over his head to hide his face. “Hey now,” I tried to placate them “I’ll find her, I will. I promise.”

Blossom looked at me with tears shining in her eyes, “You’d better.”

I nodded accepting the statement as it was, everyone had gotten quite attached to Alli, she had done a lot for them after all, and to consider their friend going through what they had, yeah I definitely understood their reactions.”

I turned to leave but felt a weak hand close around my wrist, I looked to see Daniella peer at me with tears in her eyes, “Don’t get caught.”

Misham nodded vehemently beside her and I saw a few of their eyes come to the same realization, I might also be taken by the man who haunted their nightmares. Determined not to upset them anymore I pulled off my mother's ring and placed it in her palm, folding her fingers around it, “I’ll be wanting that back Daniella, it was my mothers. I’ll come back for it, don’t you worry.”

Olly grinned “And when you come back we can have a party for me! It’s my birthday soon.”

I gave a fake gasp of shock “Well what do you know? A 9-year-old boy looks like we will need a party.”

He puffed out his chest “Ice-cream cake!”

I laughed walking out of the room to Ewan inquiring why he wanted ice-cream and Esmerelda being quietly told what it was by Soraya.

I walked with the twins on either side back to the front entrance and headed out to the car waiting for me, giving a second for the mates to embrace before Alec and I entered the car.

I had refused to say goodbye to my mates, instead acted as though it had been another day they had done the same, but the anticipation of the coming battle weighed on all our minds. Despite what they said, I had never seen them fight, not properly and the idea of them taking on an entire army… I decided not to think about it, instead filling my mind with how to solve my own conundrum.

  
  


\--IMMORTAL--

I arrived in Davenport with Alec by my side and strode into the police station, walking up to the receptionist. I gave her a tense smile. "I'm Detective Volturi, I was wondering if Agent Dacian is around to speak with? He was working on a case in the area." I added on.

She nodded to one of the corridors, "Interrogation 6, he's using it as a temporary office."

"Thanks." I walked into the room Alec was following closely behind, and encountered a man that was not the one I was after, with his butt on the desk and his arms braced behind him. He blew a bit of gum as I came to a stop in front of him and there was a tense moment before it popped and he used his tongue to swipe it all back in his mouth.

I felt Alec tense beside me and it immediately made me clench in turn. "Charming." I snapped, my nerves getting the best of me. He only smirked at my ire and raised a hand in lazy greeting. "Is Agent Dacian around?"

His smirk widened and he pushed off the table to come to a stop before me, "Ah so you must be the Detective Blue, he said you'd show up eventually."

I crossed my arms restraining my anger "That doesn't sound suspicious at all. Alli goes missing and he's suddenly expecting me."

He gave a sharp laugh "Nah, he said you got close to her in your last case, he hasn't heard from the girl either, sad really."

A chuckle caused me to spin around seeing the man I was looking for right in front of me. "Ryder likes to play around, don't take him too seriously."

I ignored the strange relationship the two men had and angrily began demanding answers “Where is Alli. Why is she not answering her phone? You're supposed to be her partner!"

He stepped closer as if to try to console me but Alec actually hissed, causing me to shoot him a weird look and Dacian to raise his hands in surrender. "Alli went missing a few days ago after she mentioned you moving the victims, she hasn't reported to me. Is there anything she may have mentioned to you? Any leads she was following?"

I was now in a position where I either told the creepy guy in front of me information Alli had kept from him or not and risked it affecting her being found. I mentally refreshed my mind, considering the pros and cons. For now, I would stay quiet, I didn't trust the man in front of me, he was strange, everything about him put me on full alert since the day I'd met him, I could always tell him later. "No. Nothing."

He sighed seeming unsurprised, "Well come and look at what we found, maybe you can figure out where she went from it all." That sounded like a good idea to me and with a sneer and flick of his tongue Ryder moved aside allowing us to approach the files laid out over the desk.

There were papers everywhere it would take a while, Dacian seemed to realise this and decided to take Ryder, leaving Alec and I alone with the work, claiming he had other stuff to do. _Prick_.

As soon as he was gone I turned to Alec, "You don't like him?"

He gave me a very uncomfortable look, "Everything is hazy around them, I cannot hear properly or smell, it is like my senses are dulled down to a humans."

Now that he'd said it, it was true, as a human I'd found him creepy, but as a Vampire, I didn't notice the other things that I could about others. I didn't remember hearing a heartbeat from him, but in a way that it sounded like the base of a drum beating in my head unable to let me concentrate on whether or not he had one. "...You said them. The Ryder guy too?"

He nodded "Mainly him, it seemed to be coming from Ryder." _Weird_. I noticed Alec fidgeting and continuously glancing at the door and I knew he was itching to follow his own lead. 

"Go ahead." He gave me a confused look and I elaborated "Go after them, something fishy stinks around them, see if you can find anything." He thanked me and promised to report if he found anything suspicious. His words reminded me that my mates were supposed to call eventually. I checked my phone which I usually kept silent, and finding no missed calls I relaxed, returning to my work.

I spent the better part of the next hour going through all of Alli and Dacian's reports. A few more hours passed and it started to grow darker outside, I was about to call it and go tell Agent Dacian that I knew Alli had been following a different lead when something caught my eye. Agent Allison Smith. She signed her full name on the reports as was required, mildly curious and just a little bit spiteful as Agent Dacian consistently used my first name, I searched through until I found one he'd written. 

_Agent Stefan Dacian_

I stared at the name for a minute trying to remember where I'd seen that spelling when it hit me. I dropped the papers in shock. The Dacian coven. Vlad and Stefan were the two who had escaped Volturi's takeover... How could I have been so stupid! And blind. His name was literally Dacian, I knew something was strange about him, and even as a Vampire, I hadn't noticed that the man was also a Vampire.

Ryder was one too, he must have muted our senses. Another thought hit me, if he could mess with our senses maybe she could also affect Vampiric powers, like Demetri's tracking ability... and Alec's...

I bolted out of the room at super speed not worried about revealing myself as it was night time and humans would only register a blur. I stopped outside unsure where to go. I'd heard nothing back from Alec and I didn't know where Grace or Stefan had gone.

Cursing I balled my hands into fists and tried not to let the helplessness eat me up. "Come on Blue! Think!"

\--IMMORTAL--

Bella kept her composure and pretended she hadn't noticed anything. For the rest of the day, she felt the eyes, but after nothing more happened she relaxed a bit. She should head back for now. She hadn't found anything more but she found herself once again in the middle of the lake, at the edge staring down into the dark water.

The eyes had left her back for the first time when she had stepped onto the limestone island, it made her breath a sigh of relief, the island felt like a flash of safety, but she knew how deceptive safety could be and that night she clutched the knife Blue had gifted her under the emergency blanket.

_"Hey wait, Bella!"_

_Bella turned to Blue, an expression of confusion on her face, they were just about to excite the bathroom and take their separate flights, Bella to Forks and Blue to Kennewick. "Yes?"_

_Blue caught up to her friend "Since you're going to someplace in the world that I won't be with you, I think you should have this." She pressed a smooth bit of wood into her hand and watched as Bella examined it, there was a ring of steel that ran the length._

_"What is it?"_

_"A knife."_

_Bella killed at blue in shock "A knife! Blue We're about to board a plane!"_

_Blue only laughed "I snuck a live lizard through airport security, you don't think I can sneak a knife?"_

_Bella gave her a disapproving look, "Aren't you a cop?"_

_"Labels."_

_"Blue-"_

_Blue cut her off "-Just keep it. Please. I care about you kid, that knife saved my life you know, It was the first thing I bought. Took me three months begging on the streets when I got to America to get enough money for it. I took it with me to Norway. Maybe you can take it everywhere else."_

_Bella pulled the older girl into an embrace, "Don't make me cry over a knife Blue, that's not cool."_

_Blue laughed gently, shoving her to the exit. "Dying isn't cool. Stay awesome stay alive."_

_Bella threw her a smirk "Till you choose not to."_

_Scoffing Blue waved her off "Nah, eternal life is still life. I believe they are called the **un** dead."_

_Bella smiled at her friend, pocketing the knife, she doubted she'd use it, but maybe it would come in handy cutting weeds on a farm._

Morning came and Bella kept her eyes closed trying to sense whether she had been found during her sleep. Feeling nothing she traced the wood under her blanket. She remembered it was a dark brown, it looked vintage and the steel a sharp contrast, her dad had told her it was Carbon Damascus steel, it didn't mean much to her but the way the knife had wavy lines in the metal was rather beautiful.

Steeling herself to do what she needed to do. Bella packed up all her stuff, shoving it in her bag, even her wet clothes she wrapped in the emergency blanket and shoved inside. She grabbed her torch and flicked on the one strapped to her chest.

Reaching into the water she grabbed the chain and pulled, instead of letting it fall into a pile beside her she moved to the closest stalagmite and threw the chain over it, before grabbing it and doing it again. It was hard because the chain was rather bulky, but she managed, with only a tiny bit of slack left, that didn't allow it to be looped again, she walked back over to the edge and gripped the torch and jumped in.

She popped up to suck in a breath, the cold worse than she remembered, but with her resolve hardened she dove down, using the chain to yank herself forward with one hand, occasionally she twisted her legs into the chain and shoved herself forward, heading down face-first into the deep.

She could feel it getting harder to keep her lungs from sucking in air and estimated it had been around two minutes. Pushing harder she felt her chest scream at her and her eyes stung as though watering. There! She paused to shine the light below her and she nearly screamed.

_It was a person._

There was someone down at the bottom of the pond, she was too far away. Bella could see her but she could never reach her. Her lungs screamed at her and black spots crept into her vision. Her grip slackened and the torch fell below, Bella was helpless to do anything except watch as it descended, illuminating more as it went.

_A face. A woman. Porcelain, like a statue._

_Her chest._ Bella gasped and water flooded her lungs, she panicked, kicking wildly to try to break for the surface but she was too far. The water rushed into her mouth and she panicked trying to swallow it. So this was how she died. Alone in a cave. Fitting for someone cursed to be alone, after all, death was always lonely.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her chest and she felt a shift before being pulled onto the familiar limestone. She coughed, spluttering up the water and blinking desperately to try to bring back her vision.

Distantly she heard the sound of Italian being yelled furiously. She peered up at her saviour. Demetri. Of course.

He registered her looking at him and scowled returning to a language she could understand "What were you thinking Bella! Everyone is worried sick about you, and you try to drown yourself? He seemed to notice her shivering then and scooped up the expensive jacket he'd thrown off before diving to rescue her, he pulled it over her shaking shoulders, his voice softened as though trying to explain her actions "Human's cannot stay in that cold water Bella. It is foolish."

She couldn't focus on why or how he was here, she shoved the jacket off and stood narrowly missing the stalactite above her. "There's someone down there! In the water! Demetri, there's someo-"

He looked concerned "What do you mean Bella? Humans cannot survive down there, I told you this."

She let out a sound of frustration tugging on her hair, "No. Demetri. I think it's a Vampire. I think... She paused the reason for her venture into the caves coming to mind, and the words of her friend returning, 'The bond can also be broken if a Vampire's heart is ripped from their chest, it is the cruellest form of torture.' ...I think it's Didyme."

Demetri's back went ramrod straight and she hurried to elaborate, "It's why I was here, in Romania, Blue thinks that it wasn't a coincidence the timing of Didyme's disappearance and the Dacian coven's take over, she asked me to volunteer in Romania so I could look for clues... there's a chain Demetri! And someone's down there, I saw them."

"Show me."

She obliged, leavening over the edge and falling out the chain once more. Without any more hesitation, Demetri grabbed the chain and pulled. He got to the same point Bella had and the chain refused to budge, even with his Vampire strength. "There's probably some weight or something keeping the other side down," Bella suggested.

He gave her a searching look, and Bella wasn't sure she liked the serious side of Demetri. He sniffed deeply. "You have not been alone."

Bella shook her head "No, I felt someone watching me yesterday, or today, I don't really know, before I went to sleep."

He seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding, "Stay here, I will be a moment. If he returns, call for me."

She nodded showing she understood and he wasted no more time diving into the water. Bella figured Demetri knew who had been in the cave with her, after all, he had tracked her from Italy, he probably recognised the Vampire's scent. She wondered who it was, someone not enough of a threat for Demetri to call for back up, so she didn't worry too much.

A loud crack came from under the water and echoed around the caves, the stone icicles shook and a few of the smaller ones went crashing down. Bella froze. Now she was worried.

It didn't last long before Demetri broke the surface with what looked like a statue, in his arms. Bella rushed to help him, but he didn't seem to need it. He placed the woman-statue carefully on the island and stood back. Bella felt tears well up in her eyes at the sight. It was definitely a Vampire, one who had suffered horrible, if the gaping hole in her chest proved, the lack of heat confirmed what Bella suspected, that this Vampire had suffered the worst fate of their kind imaginable.

A sound came from beside her and Bella turned to see Demetri looking upon the woman, ashen-faced. Bella let the question fall from her lips "Is it her?" 

He nodded, "She has petrified, due to her..." He gestured almost helplessly at the hole and his voice broke "...and the lack of moving." Suddenly his head snapped in another direction and he let out a snarl, rage taking over his features he spat the word with a venom Bella had never heard before "Vlad!"

A chuckle echoed through the cavern making Bella want to shrink against the statue before her, but it reminded her, she was here for a reason. She'd found Didyme, not just what had happened to her, but her actual body. Bella didn't know if Didyme could be healed, or even if she'd wanted to be, but Bella would be damned if the monster who had done it to her was allowed to keep her.

Demetri's responding snarl showed he was thinking along the same lines.

  
  



	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, guys. The comments I get on this story are so awesome. Thank you AalyDesire I literally jumped when you said my story had reached so far, thank you so much :)
> 
> SophieIsCoolIGuess as always I have love for you. 
> 
> And to all my silent readers you're amazing :)

* * *

The Kings looked to the remains of the Egyptian coven in disgust, but a sweeping feeling of dread settled over them. While the Vampires had been swiftly taken care of by the guard, barely a fight put up by the so-called 'gifted' Immortals Amun had created, it had done little to reassure the Volturi, they had expected a bigger fight, more resistance, Amun had seemed almost unprepared for the battle he had decided to start.

Caius's critical eye took in the chaos, while the guard restrained the survivors and Aro stood in front of their leader. Something was off to Caius, Amun had revealed himself far too soon, he had no hope of winning against them; the choice to move against the Volturi didn't make any tactical sense at all.

Caius let his voice echo through his mate's minds, wishing in that moment Aro's powers stretched across the ocean so Blue may hear also. _There is no strategy here Aro. No reason or logic._

Marcus' voice rang out in agreement, _Amun has never known to act so recklessly._

Aro waited silently in front of Amun, listening in as his mates provided their insight, all the while appearing to glare down in judgement at the Egyptian leader. He held his palm out to the Vampire, unsurprised when Amun did not take it. In a single second Aro reached out to lay his palm on his neck.

Aro closed his eyes breathing in as the memories flowed through him, he took a moment to sort through them and make sense of what he had seen. His eyes snapped open and his lip curled back to reveal his sharpened teeth in a grin. "My, my." He turned as though unhurried from the man on his knees and began to walk back to his mates, behind him the guards dismembered the leader and a fire was lit. _It appears the Dacian coven is more trouble than we first thought._

Caius snarled. _They organised this disaster?_

_They pushed it_. Aro corrected, although Amun did not know why they wished for him to attack so suddenly...

Marcus's voice went through their minds, _A distraction?_

A muscle twitches in Caius's jaw and they all seemed to come to the same realisation. The Volturi castle was all but undefended; only Felix and a few others had remained behind. In a flash Aro and Marcus ran for their home, Caius lingering only to call the guards back to the castle.

Marcus arrived first, sweeping the perimeter then heading first to ensure the humans Blue had under her care were safe. Upon finding nothing out of place he relaxed. Walking further into the room to assure himself the sleeping humans were unharmed.

Aro appeared by his side looking unruffled by the run. They waited in the entrance listening to the humans' chests rise and fall in silence until Caius arrived to join them. It felt like the ominous feeling from before lifted as they stood side by side, they pondered the Romanian's objective with the fleeting fight in Egypt but relaxed to the sound of 11 heartbeats.

11 heartbeats.

Marcus's eyes snapped up and he checked the beds, sure enough, 11 bodies were in the room. But had Blue not mentioned Oliver was staying with the Orphics? _Where is Oliver?_

The single question was all it took for Caius to flash into the room and wake the nearest body. Daniella groaned, giving him a glare which he ignored "Where is Oliver? The young boy. Where is he?"

She was suddenly wide awake, a few others stirred at Caius's questioning, Aro couldn't bring himself to quieten Caius, he too was worried. "He said he was going to help Blueberries or something, I thought he meant he was going to help in the kitchen."

Caius pulled back sharply, giving his mates a significant look. Olly had gone after Blue.

The three fleed the room and ran the castle searching for his scent hoping he was simply hiding, it was futile and Caius let out a frustrated yell kicking the chair across the antechamber. Emotions were running high after the fight and with their mate gone as well as Bella not responding and now Olly missing, tensions were high.

Marcus slammed into Caius trapping him against the wall with a growl. Caius snarled back but Marcus remained unmoving, a stern look in his eye, he waited until Caius had finished spitting angry words. _Are you quite finished?_

Caius stared at the floor, feeling slightly ashamed but still overwhelmingly afraid, he never got like this except when something happened to the people he loved, someone could hurt and taunt him all day and it would only make him grin but the minute someone he had allowed himself to care for, was threatened, fear would cripple his mind, resulting in his rage.

Marcus purred soothingly in front of him, gripping the back of Caius's neck and burying his Caius's face in his neck. Caius clutched at Marcus's back and let his mates scent overwhelm his senses. Another hand found itself on his shoulder, Aro grounding him back into the moment.

Aro spoke aloud letting them hear his melodic voice, inflecting it with strength. Aro would take the lead on this one, Caius no doubt feeling guilty at not pursuing the remaining Dacian member's thousands of years ago. "We will call Blue, tell her Oliver will be on his way to her. However he will achieve this I don't know but I do believe he will, Oliver is awfully good at getting where he wants to go."

Marcus hummed still holding Caius firmly, "She is very capable of protecting her child Caius, it is likely nothing will come of this impromptu adventure."

Finally, Caius pulled away still drawing in deep breaths to allow their presence to remain in his senses, he slid his hand into Aro's pocket and stole his phone, ignoring the cheeky look Aro shot him, he selected their mate's number.

_Ring Ring_

_Ring Ring_

_Ring Ring_

**Click**

Hello, you have reached the voicemail for number 965 765 688 please leave your message after the tone.

_Beeeeep_

Caius hung up. He flicked his eyes to view his mates and saw the same realisation cross their minds. The destruction wasn't for the castle. It was for Blue.

\--IMMORTAL--

"Come on Blue! Think." I thought back to the last few conversations I'd had with Will Alli before she stopped responding. What was the last thing she had said to me?

"He Blue lab results came in for the manufacturers of wheelchairs, I followed up all of them but it just seemed like they all came from different places, wheelchairs aren't made entirely in one place either, fabric comes from somewhere wheels another..."

"I take it you didn't find anything?"

I felt her grin over the phone "Not on the chairs no. But believe it or not the boss was actually helpful today, must have been me telling him you were moving the kids outta the hospital."

I perked up with interest "Oh why?"

"Well, you know how he is, weird. But when you were being busy for those two weeks he seemed rather invested in why you 'weren't doing anything to help', I think he was just annoyed I wasn't focusing so much on the case."

I felt a twinge of guilt eat at me "I'm sorry Alli, I was-"

"-Hey no, I know Blue. Honestly, he's just a dick, besides I told him you've done heaps these past few weeks and are moving them out really soon."

"So that's why he started being helpful? 'Cause he's suddenly realised the Orphics are going to want the guy responsible behind bars?"

"Well, that's what I think."

"So what did you find?" I couldn't help the curiously leaking into my voice.

She perked up again "He suggested we get forensics to examine the wheelchairs not to see where they were made, but where they had been, he seemed to think the kids might have been in a different location before they were put in the bunker. Which makes sense not all the Orphics went missing from Davenport, he might have moved them around, or had a similar operation set up somewhere else and taken the chairs from there."

A horrible thought occurred to me, "You think there would be more?"

She was quick to reassure me "No, no Blue, I meant there might have been in the past, kids that might not have made it before he figured out the nutrients formula and stuff, I doubt there would be others, it takes dedication to keep watch over someone in that state." I took a calming breath, she was right, I was just jumping to conclusions. "Although if we don't catch the guy he might think to start his science project up again, I'm planning on catching him before he can Blue."

"Good. I take it that you have a lead from the chairs?"

"Yea some residue matches some factory or something, I'm checking it out tonight."

"Be careful."

"I will."

A factory. That was incredibly _unhelpful_. I tried to remember if Alli had mentioned what type of factory or anything to narrow down my search but came up blank. I sat myself on the sidewalk and drummed my fingers in thought, trying to focus on what I knew and not the danger I felt creeping closer and closer to my friends.

The files.

Of course, Stefan wanted me to look at them because he wanted me to find Alli. It was a trap obviously, but I still rushed back inside the precinct to return to the reports. I flicked through at a speed only my eyes could follow before pausing on a forensics report, my eyes locking on to the words.

Wheelchair fibres tested positive for Phenethylamine and contained traces of Anthraquinone...

Pulling out my laptop from my satchel I typed in the scientific words and it's uses.

_Phenethylamine (PEA) is an organic compound, natural monoamine alkaloid, and trace amine, which acts as a central nervous system stimulant in humans._ Right so, the drug. I plugged in the next word. 

_Anthraquinone is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derived from anthracene or phthalic anhydride. Anthraquinone is used in the manufacture of dyes, in the textile and pulp industries, and as a bird repellent._

My mind was racing trying to figure out what factory would produce drugs and also dyes/bird repellent. Wait, PEA was illegal... Bringing up the Washington paper I searched for 'Factory' and 'Drugs'. Sure enough, several reports of drug busts were shown in the last 10 years. I scrolled through them looking for something that might point me in a direction.

Found it. I read the heading again. Johnson's Dye Factory busted as a PEA house. Bingo. I jotted down the location on my hand, I paused for a moment. I should probably tell my mates that the Dacian coven had kidnapped Alli... and also Alec. But I really didn't want their phone to go off during a fight and distract them.

I pulled out my phone and turned on the app which allowed Aro to access my location through his. I then grabbed a marker and wrote the location across a spare sheet of paper adding, Dacian Coven - Stefan - Agent Dacian, and Alli, before ditching my satchel, shoving my phone in my pocket and running out again.

\--IMMORTAL--

Alec snarled beneath the tape that had been mockingly placed over his mouth, he yanked on the chains keeping him restrained to the chair and tried to pull on his powers. A mocking voice pulled his glare to them. "Aww, is the poor weapon of mass destruction having performance issues?"

Alec glared at Ryder who smirked in response, cooing at his rage. Alec had followed the Vampire to the outskirts of the city thinking he was being unnoticed until the man had suddenly turned and touched his skin before he could react. The Vampires touch had been shocking, it instantly zapped all the endurance and strength a Vampire possessed, Alec had felt the same fragility he had, had when he was human and it had enraged him.

Alec tried to call on his powers to trap the Vampire but they hadn't come. Alec supposed he understood Demetri's ire at being unable to track the Vampire last time.

Agent Dacian had appeared then and ordered the other Vampire to "Focus on keeping that one weak, once Blue arrives I will call for you." Alec had begun to fight back at that, but as effectively human he was helpless to defend himself let alone his Queen. He remembered feeling like this only one other time in his life, and yet again someone would suffer because he wasn't strong enough.

\--IMMORTAL--

Demetri snarled and disappeared. Bella jumped at the sound of stone breaking, she didn't know if it had been part of the cave or one of the Vampires. Moving closer to Didyme, Bella slipped her hand into the statues, there was little she could do against a Vampire besides getting in the way, so to distract herself from the deafening sounds echoing in every direction she pulled her other hand up and pushed the wet hair off her porcelain face.

Bella couldn't say the statue in front of her was beautiful, it looked to tortured to be beautiful, the shopping hair and lifeless eyes didn't help, but the most unnerving part was the evidence of horrors that had been inflicted on the girl, and she looked a girl, Didyme couldn't have been older than Bella she had youthful features and slightly filled out cheeks, Bella imagined in her human life Didyme's skin would have been rose-tinted.

Bella remembered Didyme's gift, the gift to spread happiness, how horrible and cruel for someone to do that to such a giving soul, wasn't happiness what made life worth living? Joy and love? Bella felt a tear roll down her face; she knew a few people who would have benefited from Didyme's gift, herself included. Everyone needed happiness in their life, but it seemed like the one who would need it the most in the coming days would be the Vampire herself.

Bella delicately ran her fingers over the strangely frozen hand, the texture was marble-like, but in a different way from how Edward had felt, while all Vampires had skin as tough as stone it gave slightly under pressure, Didyme did not, it looked like a Vampires, but she was completely moving and felt of porcelain. Bella couldn't help but think she would break like porcelain too, despite knowing that was far from the case.

She didn't dare touch around the hole in the girl's chest, instead tried to give her comfort by rubbing small circles on the back of her palm. Didyme's eyes were white, only the thin ring of pink separated her iris from the rest of her eye, Bella reckoned that meant she had been starved from blood, she felt a little wary at being close to a Vampire who had most likely no eaten since being placed within the water, yet the Vampire's eyes did not even twitch.

Bella was shivering, she remembered it now she was cold and freezing, releasing Didyme she bent to pick up Demetri's jacket about to swing it over her shoulders she hesitated. If the water had been cod the few minutes she had spent in it, it was likely Didyme was far colder. Bella carefully placed the jacket over her shoulders and drew it together at the front buttoning one of the buttons to ensure it stayed, then she walked over other bag and dug out the emergency blanket, it would do for now.

She ended up pulling out some food and snacking on it while what sounded like loud booms of thunder continued to resound. Bella was a little worried about the closer crashes from falling Stalactites and had decided she needed to move them both to a safer place.

Bella packed up her back, pulling out the rope and pulley, she packed everything else up. Tying one end of the rope firmly around Didyme's waist and then up and over both shoulders like a backpack, the held the other end in one hand and began to make the journey around the water back the way she had originally come.

She had enough rope to make it to the passageway, occasionally having to stop to lift it over a stalagmite, but she got there. Tying it to her own waist and putting her bag on the ground she turned to edge a little past the opening and began climbing up.

It was far more difficult than descending into the ravine had been, as this wall was significantly more vertical, however, Bella stuck at it, she had a destination in mind and a plan. The rope stretched across the water and rose to Bella's end as she climbed. The hole in the ceiling got closer but as it was away from the wall slightly Bella needed to climb up and onto the ledge above her.

Bella's hand slipped and she shrieked, clutching tightly with every other muscle she managed to cling to the wall. Drawing in a panicked breath she, ignored her racing heart and tried to reach up again, she needed to do this, another section of the cave came crashing down, a single look confirmed it was near the island. She needed to do this.

Snarls and growls accompanied the crashes but Bella paid it little mind, she would worry about Demetri later. She reached again for the underside of the ledge and clung with her fingertips, remembering all the tips her rock-climbing instructor had told her years ago, she lunged forward with her other hand and let out a sound of pure relief when her torso stayed arched into the rock. She was nearly horizontal now like a sloth, under where she needed to be.

Swinging her leg up and over the ledge she locked her thigh against the rock, feeling a sharp bit pierce her skin she ignored the pain for now and used the rest of her core strength to swing up following her leg until the laugh burst out of her and she allowed a moment to catch her breath leaning against the wall.

The moment passed and she edged forward in a crawl until she was just before the opening and stood up, it was risky standing on the unsupported edge but she needed to be as close as possible. Leaning out she was able to stick her head through, the rock was thick and she couldn't break the surface but she didn't need to, she just needed a good throw. Untying the rope from her waist she chucked the end up, only for it to come back down pathetically.

Digging the pulley out of her pocket she threaded the rope through and tied it in a knot, now with the weight she reared back her arm as much as she could and threw it up. It went out and after making sure the rope wasn't about to fall back down Bella mentally cheered, and made her artful descent from the ledge.

She dropped back beside her bad and throwing a last look to check on Didyme, pulled it over her shoulder and ran back the way she had come. The climb out the ravine opening was far easier and she did it with speed, more urgent than the descent had, had and adrenaline pumping through her veins. She sounds hasn't stopped yet so Bella took that as a good sign.

Once making the surface Bella headed across the rubble and grass to the direction she thought the passage followed, searching for a gap in the earth. She found it after a few minutes and falling to her hands and knees she swept over the grass trying to feel for the pull. Her fingers latched onto the hard metal and she grinned. Taking in a deep breath she knew she would have to pull quite quickly on the first pull, otherwise, Didyme might hit the tip of the stalagmite in the middle of the pool.

Bella turned and placed the rope over her shoulder and clutched it to her chest before running forward. Lifting the equivalent of a person in weight was a rather difficult task it turned out, and Bella immediately struggled, but with no other choice, she endured.

Once Didyme had lifted off the ground it was a little easier, but Bella made sure to be careful and slow right down when she thought the rope was getting close to the end. A glance over her shoulder confirmed that was the case and she turned, swapping her hands. She gathered up the rope in a pile keeping it taut and unmoving, she allowed herself to get closer to the hole, leaning backwards to counter the weight.

She got until she could just see through the hole and began to pull the rope harder, watching so Didyme didn't hit the sides. Bella winced as Didyme's arm scratched on the wall as her she got closer to the top. Bella stopped and keeping the rope steady she knelt down still leaning back and reaching blindly with one hand to grab the porcelain skin.

She hooked her fingers into the crock of Didyme's elbow and releasing the rope lunged forward to grab under her other arm, she struggled to pull her over the lip of the hole and ended up falling backwards, Didyme thankfully only landing on her arm. "Ow." Bella hissed but shoved it off in favour of pushing herself to her feet and doing the same for Didyme. 

Bella considered there might be more Vampires than just, whoever the Vlad person had been. Fearing for her flamboyant friend, she pulled out her phone, for now ignoring the multiple missed calls from Blue, she'd deal with that later and dialled Felix.

"Bella!"

"Felix, Demetri's fighting with some Vampire, Vlad or something and I don't know what to do-"

"-Are you safe?"

"-For now, I think there might be more."

"I'm coming."

He said nothing else, hanging up so with Didyme now moderately safe, Bella positioned herself at the edge of the hole to watch as the cave came apart piece by piece the sounds of thunder keeping up as night fell. She hoped Demetri was alright.

\--IMMORTAL--

I felt my feet slip from under me as I came to a stop. I landed on my ass at the edge of the forest, abandoned the factory ahead. Really not a good time for me to be clumsy. I stood up brushing off the dirt and analysing the building. It looked empty, and I couldn't smell or hear anything besides the background noise of animals residing in the forest.

Knowing not to spring a trap out of stupidity I circled the edge of the forest and mapped out my surroundings. The forest was on the East and South side with open farmland stretching from the others, I stayed as hidden as I could but I knew I would have to do something eventually.

I did what I did best and decided to look at the situation from a detective's standpoint. What did they want? Well, Stefan had taken Alli, in the hopes of luring me in. Why did they want me? My mind immediately brought up that the Romanian was most likely angry with the Volturi for burning their castle down... So it wasn't about me, it was about hurting them.

The realization hit me, I was a Vampire now, which meant my bond with my mates was as strong as it could be and if one of us were killed the others wouldn't survive it. I felt fear claw at me but shoved it down, I had no plans to die today, and Alec was lily in there being restrained by the one who could mute Vampire gifts, I just needed to get to him. I felt the beginnings of a plan form, I would sneak in and find Alec, I could take on one Vampire surly, I'd had no training aside from two weeks with my mates, and that was very basic, but I was still technically a newborn I had raw strength, so I could take on one Vampire. After that, Alec who was much more experienced and exponentially more powerful would be able to help me with Stefan and if anyone else was around while I went and searched for Alli.

A cold hand grabbed my exposed jaw and I wiped around to find the grinning face of Ryder. I immediately tried to throw a punch only for my fish to make a resounding crack against his jaw, the pain crippled me as it travelled down my arm and I saw cracks appear in my skin. I cried out and Ryder responded with a laugh easily restraining me and flashing me to the doors of the factory.

I was momentarily thrown, distracted by the pain and surprise I had a sinking feeling that Ryder's powers didn't just affect gifted Vampires, but normal ones too. I felt exhausted like I had run the length I had to the Factory but on human feet and lungs powering me not Venom.

I whimpered as Ryder twisted the arm behind my back forcing me to walk through the door into what looked like a waiting room, without any chairs, rather just a room that separated everyone from the rest of the factory. It held two doors each either side and a desk at the back wall like a receptionist.

Behind the desk stood a familiar-looking girl. "You have got to be shitting me." Aside from the now ruby eyes, the figure looked exactly the same as the annoying receptionist from Kennewick, the same one Alli had complained about being completely useless and who had faked ignorance over Agent Dacian.

"Surprise." She sneered, I happily returned it, crying out when Ryder twisted my arm again. My cry seemed to summon said agent because instantly Stefan was before me a look of mock exuberance on his face.

"Blue, so glad you could join us."

"Bastard. Where is Alec! What have you done with him?"

He laughed "Alec is safely locked away, he is awfully dangerous and we wouldn't want him spoiling our plans, hopefully, he will consider joining us after this is over."

I wanted to spit curses at him but my mind locked on to the choice of wording he had used "Our plans?"

In answer he spun around and walked to the door on the left, Ryder marched me close behind and Stefan paused letting me catch up before throwing the door open and spreading inside, I walked forward a few more steps before stopping stock still. Ryder ripped my arm further back but I couldn't feel it over the rushing in my ears.

"Oh my god." I felt myself tremble and barely registered Stefan's sadistic grin, even the hundred or so Vampires standing beside him did nothing to pull my gaze from the view spreading the entire factory. Rows and rows of wheelchairs lay in perfect lines with IV poles and bags of blood dripping either side. It looked systematic and meticulously mapped out, room to walk between each person and every one of them lay limp as though sleeping, but I knew better.

If I could have thrown up in that moment I would of, as it was my stomach clenched and Venom leaked out of my eyes, I couldn't mask the horror I felt at the sight, there had to be three hundred at least, humans of every race and age, it seemed there was no preference, and I doubted the older looking ones had been taken at the age they were now. I didn't realise I had been moved forward nor did I hear the choked sounds I was making, my eyes couldn't stop staring at the mass of people who had suffered.

"I saw you liked our branch Ryder was keeping under watch, so much so you took them for yourself." Rage burned in every fibre of my being as I snapped my eyes to look at the man who'd organised the horror beside me.

"You're a monster!" I spat it in disgust, the cry sounding closer to tears than anger.

He laughed a hollow laugh, "So are you Blue. We are Vampires, we need blood, it is thanks to your mates that our existence must be kept a secret. He spread his arms wide gesturing to the people, this is the solution."

I shook my head "This isn't a solution its torture, it cruel-"

He cocked his head to the side as if my reaction intrigued him "You care for them? The humans?"

I heard laughter come from the Vampires behind him but ignored it "They're people! We were all people too!"

He sneered appearing in front of me to grab my chin forcing my face skyward, "And now we are better the stronger species!"

I wasn't going to argue with him on that anymore, nothing I would say would do anything to change his mind, "Where's Alli, what have you done with her?"

His smirk returned and he released me gesturing to Ryder, "Perhaps you would like to see her, your highness?" The other Vampire picked me up and turned me to face the wall opposite the lines of people, the ground rose into two steps separating the raised platform from the ground, on it sat an empty throne. It was pitch black with chains draping over it and wrapping around the stone. 

Ryder forced me forwards until I was standing before it, "Sit, _my Queen_." I clenched my jaw and did as he said, remaining blank face as he pulled my arms over the armrests and clamped the manacles that went the length. Once again I was restrained to a chair, oh the irony.

I kept my emotions in check and pulled on the anger and indifference as a mask to strengthen my will. This will not break me. The Vampires before me spread out to stand in front of the wheelchairs and I could now only see between them to the people occasionally. Stefan stayed front and centre and gave a gesture to the door it opened and Alli was dragged between two more Vampires.

I kept my mouth firmly shut and hid the panic in my eyes, keeping them locked on her form. I mentally took stock of her injuries, she had bruises littering her skin, worryingly easy to notice even against her darker complexion, she was breathing heavily and blood dripped from her mouth.

She was brought to a stop a few feet from Stefan, "Alli dear, how wonderful to see you once more." 

Alli managed to gain strength enough to raise her head and give him a cocky look, "Want some more you freaky creep?"

He gave a humourless laugh. "So brave for one so weak." He flashed behind her, the other Vampires stepped back as he wrenched her around to look at me, forcing her to kneel and holding her from behind, he hissed in her ear. "Your saviour has arrived... although I'm afraid she's a little- tied up at the moment." Alli's eyes locked onto mine and I wanted to beg for her forgiveness at the fear I saw when she gestured what she was seeing.

Alli's eyes hardened and she gave me a smile I didn't deserve. "Hiya Blue, long time no see."

I gave a water laugh "Yeah Alli, long time."

Stefan clearly didn't like his intimidation tactics weren't having the desired effect on Alli and snarled interrupting us, "Oh Blue, you came all this way to find your friend, and now you have. Isn't it grand?" He releases her with a flourish and addresses his audience. "We have waited patiently for this day, nearly 2000 years since the Volturi stormed our castle and burned it into the earth, 2000 years since the destruction of my coven, the Dacian coven. But now, today, the Romanian Coven will rise from those same ashes, as I speak my brother Vlad prepares to take the Volturi's castle!" A cheer went up but I felt cold wash over me, the army my mates had gone to face... it had been a distraction.

"And now! We will cripple the power behind the so-called 'rulers' of our kind, killing the mate and killing them all!" Another cheer, I flicked my eyes to see how Alli was dealing with probably seemed like a lot of nonsense to her, although her statement from earlier about Stefan being a 'freaky creep' probably meant she had seen enough. Her eyes held mine and she nodded. She was okay. For now at least, of course, she was, Alli had a fiery spirit, she would be fine.

Stefan appeared behind Alli once more, except this time he held a knife tight to her throat, a sound of panic escaped me and I jolted forward against the chains, "No!"

He sneered "But before we do that, I want you to know that your efforts were all for nothing, this moment has been set in stone the second you extend your hand in friendship to this human. You killed her the minute you spoke-" He lowered his voice in mock sympathy "-And I want you to know that you didn't save her, you didn't find her in time."

"No, don't Stefan-" Alli's eyes pierced into mine, she looked scared but also as though she was trying to comfort me, of course, she was. Stefan drew the knife clean across her throat, and I screamed "No!" blood rushed down and her hands came up as though to try to stop it, within moments the blood soaked the front of her clothing and her hands dropped to her side as she slumped in Stefan's hold. "No, no, no, no, no, no-"

The smell of the blood was so strong I felt it through my now human senses, I strained against the chains, I needed to get to her. Distant laughter echoed through the warehouse and Stefan stepped back letting Alli crash onto the cold concrete. My voice broke into a whisper "n-no."

Stefan gave lady gesture to Alli's body and a Vampire stepped up to remove her flashing away. I had done nothing.

Now the Vampire turned to me, "Your death will allow my brother to storm your home without resistance. Do not be sad, rejoice for our rule will bring about the end to such operations as this, with our coven in charge Vampires will pick from the mice we live amongst without having to resort to hiding our feeding."

I snarled at him through my tears as he approached like a predator edging his way closer. "You misunderstand the point of eternal immortality. You do not deserve it!"

He smirked in response, "But unlike you. I have it."

\--IMMORTAL--

Alec jerked again trying to pull himself. Ryder seemed about to comment when Stefan appeared, "She's here, bring her to me." Ryder disappeared and left Alec alone. Oh, how he wished he could fool himself into believing 'she' was someone other than his Queen.

He upped his efforts and cursed the lack of strength in human bodies, surly they could break through some metal chains? A noise from above gave him pause and glanced up. There was nothing but an air vent, he was about to look away when he saw a slight shift and the great came crashing down. Alec watched it land a few feet from him with wide eyes. Jerking back up to the ceiling he saw a very familiar mop of brown hair. "Sorry," Olly gave him a sheepish look.

FOr a moment Alec was stunned then the panic increased tenfold. Olly was here. Olly was in a place filled with many, many Vampires. His mate was here, human and Alec couldn't protect him. Before he could articulate the flurry of emotion that passed through him, the 9-year-old gripped the edge and dangled down, dropping the remaining few feet.

He stood up looking quite proud of himself and pointed at Alec's restraints "I told you I should come."

"Are you insane!" Alec yelled the words as loud as he dared.

Olly looked offended at the lack of gratitude, "Well I could just leave you here." He crossed his arms in anger.

Alec nodded viciously "Yes! Go now! Get as far away from here as possible. Call the Kings, tell them we are here. Can you do that Olly?"

Olly lost his pout and frowned instead "No, I'm going to help you!"

Alec gave a frustrated sound about to insist Olly leave as there was no way his tiny human body could break the metal when Olly pulled out a ring sling on a cord from under his shirt and produced a lock pick, "Buttercup gave it to me," He said in explanation writing forward to start unlocking the manacles, chatting gleefully as he went, "She said-" He did a very bad impression of Blue's voice "-'No self-respecting kid of mine goes around without a means to break into locked rooms.'-" He giggled at his own impression, "-I think Bumble was just worried somebody might catch me, like they caught you, Alec."

The lock clicked and released, Olly twisted it unhooking it from the manacles and releasing Alec's right arm before moving on to the next. "Thank you, Oliver."

He chuckled in response, "Welcome Alecccc." He dragged out his mate's name in a singsong voice, seeming unbothered by the stressful situation. Despite Alec's increased fear with Olly's presence the younger boy also brought a wave of calm only a mate could achieve, he drew on it to focus. The minute the second lock popped out Alec drew his mate into a hug.

A test of his powers showed they were still unusable, Alec guessed Ryder needed to touch a Vampire to do more than dim their senses but one he had he could control it from a distance, which was very inconvenient. For now, Alec's priority was escaping with his mate and contacting the Kings to let them know what had happened, he would be no use basically human.

He grabbed Olly's hand and paused trying to hear through the door, deciding to risk it he opened and once seeing it clear he headed for the exit. Once outside he stopped against the outer wall of the Factory. He was about to ask Olly for his phone when a very familiar smell hit him. Blood.

Following the scent, he rounded the corner and saw a woman covered in her own blood. He thought it good Vampires would waste blood like this, but then again the operation they had running meant they didn't really run out of it. He reached to turn her and pulled back in shock as a familiar face stared back at him. Alli. The Agent his Queen had gone to find, he had meet her occasionally when Visiting with his Queen and had been immediately taken by the girl, as all who meet her inevitably were.

Without hesitating, he released Olly's arm and knelt over her biting into her neck and praying he wasn't too late. It took restrain to pull back, Alec had never turned anyone before, but he managed, watching the body he saw her eyes grow lifeless and blood bubbled between her lips. Panicking he lent don again and sunk his teeth into her once more. Pulling back the second time he saw it, recognising the signs of the change he closed his eyes in relief.

"Take her to a safe location and watch over her change." Alec's eyes snapped open to see the three Kings before him.

He hurried to spit out what they needed to hear "One can take away all our strength speed and everything that makes us superior to them, don't let him touch you. He's called Ryder, Dacian is in there and so is our Queen."

Aro gave him a tight nod of thanks and then they were gone. Olly pulled from his side to run to his sister. Jane reciprocated the embrace and gave her brother a searching look, upon seeing the fear in his eyes her jaw clenched and he nodded at him, "Do as the Master command, I will watch over Oliver, he is safer with me than the changing newborn." Alec nodded.

"Take us somewhere first, I cannot lift her."

\--IMMORTAL--

I refused to close my eyes, I would not. Not when my mates had done their best to provide safety for me, I wouldn't seek it in the familiar darkness behind my lids. I felt my chin wobble but clenched it tight, my arm stung the cracks still visible, unable to seal due to the clamps of metal around it. I smelt my friend's blood all around and worst of all the sight of wheelchairs stretching out. I had failed them. The Orphics, I wondered how they would feel knowing that I hadn't saved people before me, and I would never save them either, I would never turn them now, they would be stuck paralysed for their lives.

'And my brother will take your home...' The Orphics were in the castle. A sob rose up in me, they would be put right back into another chair when they were found by the Vampires, once again confined, once again drained. Venom tears fell, as Stefan approved. I would not close my eyes.

Stefan reached for my head. I wondered morbidly how it would feel, Caius had once told me Vampires felt everything Human's feel just more durable, which meant the release of death was further away. I imagined decapitation would be rather painful, if the cracking in my arm was anything to go by.

I tried not to wonder what my mates would feel upon my death. Would they feel pain? The same pain I did? I hoped not god I hoped not. I knew they would perish if I did, but I didn't know what that meant, I hoped it meant they would fade. I didn't want them to suffer. I didn't want them to fade. My mind wanted to say the words I'm sorry, allowed so I could hear my own regret, but I didn't feel I deserved it, I had done this, I had put myself and my mates in this position. I would never be sorry enough.

Several flashes entered the room and suddenly there was chaos.

Stefan disappeared from in front of me and went flying into the wall opposite the door, Caius stood in his place stitching visible. The surrounding Vampires jumped into action going to attack Caius but were stopped by Aro who had a look so blank I shrunk back a little.

Aro effortlessly tore through the Vampire who launched themselves at him, while Caius appeared before Stefan and engaged in a flurry of movements. Vampires around the edge of my vision abruptly fell into piles of shattered limbs, a trail of parts zipped through them like a title wave, I couldn't see only the result of Marcus's movements.

I saw Jane stand in the doorway with Olly by her side and for a moment I was terrified for him. Jane locked eyes only with me and gave a single nod. I understood then, she would not let any harm come to my Kid. Olly pointed out into the sea of movement and Jane followed his finger. Her gaze landed on Ryder and he crippled beneath it. Good.

It was barely seconds until a deafening silence descended and only a few of the Vampires remained standing all on their knees cowering. Stefan had lost an arm and the other was wrenched behind him as he was forced to kneel at the steps of the throne he had made for me.

Marcus flashed to my side with a tortured look on his features. I gave him a look of relief "I take it the army wasn't a problem then?" My usual attempts to pull humour into the situation only seemed to increase the look and he knelt beside the throne gently pushing his fingers under the maniacal he flicked his wrist and the first one snapped open, he did the same to the others, while I watched Aro.

Aro's clothing was ruffled and a few edges of the suit were ripped, it was unsettling to see my normal pristine mate so untidy, it gave him a darker feel, more dangerous and forbidding than his usual curious nature. He came to a stop before Stefan who Caius was restraining as though it was no effect whatsoever.

Aro paused and I watched with interest, unable to predict his next move. Marcus's voice rang out in all our minds. _She is safe._ I looked down and saw, sure enough, all the manacles had been bent back or snapped. I raised my arms to wrap around Marcus who pulled me into him letting me shudder.

A thunderclap echoed and I pulled my head up to see the aftermath of what was clearly a backhand from Aro. I was shocked to see tiny fragments of Stefan's face hit the floor, massive cracks spread over his cheek and he cried out in pain.

Marcus let out a soothing sound, pulling my arms into his own, as though insuring the cracks on my skin were disappearing. Once they had gone fully he let me stand, wrapping my fingers in his own we walked side by side to stand behind Aro as he let loose his rage.

It was truly remarkable to see the flashes of emotion that flew across his face, Aro's hand closed around Stefan's throat in a chokehold. Caius released him and was soon wrapping his arm around my waist, checking me over with his own eyes to be sure.

I had never actually seen Aro inflict damage on another before, I'd seen him delight in a Vampire's demise in my dreams but witnessing him tower over Stefan was... strangely thrilling.

Aro's eyes remained open and staring at the Vampire before him even as he absorbed all his thoughts and memories, he released Stefan abruptly with a soulless chuckle and straightened, brushing imaginary dust from his suit as he turned his back to the pitiful mess he had left behind, not even considering him a threat.

His voice rang with all the authority he possessed and every Vampire cowering on their knees heard him, but his eyes remained looking over us. "It would appear that you did not learn from your last attempt to weaken us Romanian. And Stefan-" Aro spun and plunged his hand through the Vampire's chest, ripping it back out to hold his heart for him to see. I gaped at the act, it was the worst thing you could do to a Vampire, I knew that I had told Bella that. Aro sneered in disgust as Stefan screamed and he crushed the crystalised organ, his eyes watching rapidly the increase in pain Stefan displayed.

Aro was holding his heart. He was touching Stefan whilst torturing him. I realised that Aro could see the act not only from his own perspective but through Stefan's thoughts and feelings as well. _Holy Shit_. "-That. Is for my sister." _Oh_. When Aro had touched Stefan he had seen what happened to Didyme, millennial old mystery solved, but from his reaction, I doubted it was a happy resolution.

Marcus tensed beside me at the words and Caius's lip pulled back in a snarl but both actions were drowned out by Stefan's screams. The cries ceased when all the dust had slipped through Aro's fingers, only to come from a different direction. I glanced to see once of the Romanian's charge with a scream, Stefan's mate most likely. Or was. I snarkily added looking at the dust that blew lightly across the concrete.

She barely moved two paces before Caius had decapitated her and pulled out a lighter to lazily flick it onto her crumpled form. She went up in flames and Caius remind unflinching at the sight. Stefan seemed to fade out of the present moment and stared lifelessly at the floor. 

Black-robed Vampires flooded into the room. The Volturi guard. I peered at the carnage around me and realised properly for the first time just how powerful my mates were, I had wrongly assumed that my Kings had a guard to protect them all this time, I now knew how wrong I was.

Marcus nodded to them, "Restrain the prisons and take them to the dungeons." The guard moved to obey. I didn't know we had a dungeon? I ignored that line of thought for now and instead peered up at Aro who was looking as though afraid I was frightened of him. Which just wouldn't do. I released Marcus to sling my arms around him, making sure to lay my palm on his skin, letting my thoughts and memories flow through. _I'm alright. I promise._

He hugged me tighter to him before releasing me and making as if to leave. Panic seized me, "No!" My mates' heads snapped to me and even the guard paused. I looked out at the people the IV poles reminiscent of a marijuana forest, "We can't leave them!" None of my mates spoke as though waiting for me to make a decision, so I did. "We have to take them with us."

Caius looked nervous but tried to argue anyway, "Carissima, we cannot-"

"-Why." I demanded, "They can't stay here, and we can't leave them for the police the same thing as with the Orphics will happen!" My voice dropped to a whisper when I realised I had been yelling "No one cares about missing nobodies, it's how the Romanian's got away with it in the first place."

Aro seemed torn "Changing that many people would result in chaos, and we would have to step in and destroy them, dearest."

I searched desperately for an answer, "We don't have to change them all at once. I can do it. You can train me and I'll train them to control themselves, p-please, we can't leave them."

"Yes." My head snapped up to look at Caius who held my gaze, it appeared he held the reins in this decision, most likely as my other mates trusted his judgment for predicting the outcome. "Yes-" He repeated "-We will train you, then you will train them. They will be your responsibility Amore, you will have to stay committed."

I nodded my head vehemently "I will. I promise."

It seemed enough to satisfy them because Marcus looked to the guards, "Well you heard your Queen, prepare to move them also, but be careful they are still human."

Marcus took my hand and I walked with him, join my other mates, about to exit the door I stopped. Pivoting I gestured to the chair that had held me captive, "Please make sure that comes to Italy as well." I felt my mates questioning looks, "I've decided how I want my throne to look." was all I responded with, but it was all I needed, I knew they understood. I had spent many years fearing a panic attack from simply sitting on a chair, after my mates I hadn't realised it so much before, but I found myself sitting without a thought in the world, they had taken that fear from me and this experience would not give it back. The broken shackles that made up the chair was my throne now, and from it, I would ensure a situation like this would never occur again.

A single glance back at the rows of humans and my eyes hardened. Emotion had overwhelmed much of today, but it would build the walls of my future rule, for now, it was time to go home.


End file.
